‘Varsities must actualise roles as development agents’

Former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Ighodalo Eromosele, has tasked universities in the country to actualise their roles as development instruments meant to expedite societal development.

He has also stressed the importance of a periodic review of the funding needs of universities, stressing that funding gaps have caused them to lose global visibility and national relevance as instruments for development.

Eromosele spoke at a workshop themed: “Building Academic Leadership Capacity for Higher Education in the 21st Century at the institution, which was organised by the Centre for Innovation and Strategy in Learning and Teaching (CISLT), in a bid to train academic leaders to efficiently coordinate and manage academic enterprises that would proffer solutions to societal challenges.

In his presentation titled: “Reflections on Nigerian University Management System,” Eromosele, “The university, as a centre of learning, advances knowledge through the instruments of teaching, research and community service for the ultimate good, well-being and development of the society.”

While stressing that the critical function of a university was the development of human capacity, without which, no society can make meaningful progress, he said in view of the role of universities as instruments for development, there must be a connection between them and the government in relation to national planning and strategies as well as between them and the industries for competitive advantage.

He noted that it was the usual practice for many developed economies and emerging ones to accord universities reciprocal support for research and development.

He, however, regretted that, “The Nigerian university has lost global visibility and regrettably, national relevance as an instrument for development. Attempts to reverse the trend had led to intermittent and often protracted face-off between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.”

Eromosele, who pointed out that from 1988 to date, ASUU had achieved some measure of success with regards to university autonomy and the need for periodic review of funding needs, stressed that that no longer holds sway due to inadequate funding.

He, therefore, stated that there was a compelling need for internal generation of revenue to mitigate short-falls in government funding and ultimately, achieve the learning object of universities.

In his lecture titled, “Academic Leadership and Quality Assurance in Higher Education”, pioneer vice chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Professor Olukayode Oyesiku, identified the functions of tertiary institutions to be the pursuit of research and scholarship, high level specialised education and training, fulfilling the manpower needs of the society and performing leadership roles within intellectual communities and providing services to the community.

Oyesiku, who has over 32 years’ experience in Urban and Regional Planning, Transport Systems Planning, Management and Quantitative Techniques, said that “leadership was not simply a matter of who you are, or what you do, but also involved doing the right thing at the right time in a particular work environment.”

The former Visiting Professor to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia State, United States, said that corporate effectiveness was dependent upon both capable leadership and sound management, adding that it was the successful combination of the two that brings about organisational success.