Varsity signs tripartite agreement to boost learning, skill acquisition

As part of efforts to advance technical education in Nigeria and produce market-ready graduates, The Technical University (TechU), Ibadan is set to sign a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Society of Engineers as well as Automation and Engineering Academy Limited.

The institution’s registrar, Mr. Alex A. Oladeji explained that under the terms of agreement, the parties would work together to develop an excellent technical curriculum that will be used in the training of students in the university.

The partnership, according to the Registrar, “will nurture exchange of ideas, networks, resources and experiences among the university, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) as well as Automation and Engineering Academy”.

With the agreement, TechU, which was established to combat the growing scourge of youth unemployment, is blazing the trail in establishing a strong link between gown and town. The collaboration is the first step in bridging the employability gap in the country.

The vice chancellor, Prof Ayobami Salami had assured during the orientation programmes for the university’s pioneer set of students that the institution will engage industry experts and come up with what should be the minimum for anybody to be self-employable.

He said, “Tech-U, Nigeria’s premier Technical University provides entrepreneurial and vocational training to all students as part of her obligation to efficiently and responsibly balance theoretical and practical knowledge of science, technology and engineering in addressing societal problems while maintaining a culture of entrepreneurship. We blend the theory with the practical because we want to ensure that by the time our students graduate, they are not only loaded with empirical knowledge, they will have the skills that can make them add value and fit directly into the industry”.

“Graduates of TechU will have various opportunities; including owning their own businesses, not being limited to the Nigerian space and they will not need any form of retraining to fit into any industry. Therefore, the partnership between Tech-U, the NSE and AEA is one that will have a positive impact on Nigeria’s education sector, especially tertiary technical education, Prof Salami added.