The Vice Chancellor, Renaissance University, Ugbawka, Enugu State, Professor Thaddeus Eze, has lauded the federal government for sustaining the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), but urged a review of the payment to align with inflation and current economic realities.

Eze stated that when he received officials of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), who visited his office on a courtesy call as part of the activities for their zonal meeting hosted by the university, the work experience had continued to help benefit students, but regretted that stipends paid to them during the training by the federal government had remained static.

“The stipend has remained static for years despite the rising cost of living. We commend the government’s courage in sustaining it, but we appeal for a reasonable upward review so that students can cope better during their work experience,” he said.

Eze further noted that Renaissance University has a long-standing partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), actively participating in its programmes and student outreaches, which, he said, informed the choice of the university as host for the ITF Zonal Meeting.

He expressed concern that quality was declining nationally, but maintained that Renaissance University had continued to uphold high standards through well-trained staff, conducive facilities, and effective student support systems.

He also emphasised the diversity of the student body, pointing out that the institution attracts learners from across Nigeria – the Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, and North Central – and has produced graduates excelling both locally and abroad.

“We are proud of our heritage and the kind of holistic training we give our students. Employers recognise this quality, and they hardly let our graduates go,” he said.

Eze renewed the institution’s commitment to sustaining its tradition of academic excellence, discipline, and moral uprightness, stressing that the university was founded in 2005 as the first private university licensed by the Federal Government east of the Niger.

According to him, Renaissance University operates the American College system, with a fully residential and community-based model that ensures all students live on campus and are catered for by the institution.

He stressed that the university maintains an ecumenical faith system, welcoming students from all religious backgrounds, while also promoting daily moral and spiritual development through early morning prayers and respect for denominational diversity.

“We make extra efforts to ensure our students are morally guided, academically focused, and graduate on record time. This is why we have no history of cultism, no strikes, and we maintain a safe and conducive environment for learning,” Professor Eze said.

The VC added that the academic structure of the university runs five fully accredited colleges: Law, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, and other specialised programmes such as Nursing Science and Medical Laboratory Science.

He reassured that all programmes of the school have been approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant professional bodies, adding that the fees charged in the school were the lowest by any private university in the country.

Earlier, ITF’s head of Training, Maurice Eta, had praised the efforts of the Renaissance University management in ensuring that its students got the best training.

He stated that the school had been active in ensuring that its students received practical skills provided by the Fund, urging the institution to keep up the tempo.