By Gift Nwaozor
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan took to his Facebook page on the 31st December to announce some planned activities he has in stock for the new year.
He began with commending stakeholders of the university for their unwavering support and understanding in the previous year, as without this, the institution according to him, would have been in disarray.
Speaking on the recent lift of the ban on the Student Union, and the recent election of the Student Union executives, the Vice-Chancellor stated that after reaching a consensus with the new student leaders. Their primary aim during their tenure should be implementing skill acquisition programs to reduce unemployment, as well as create a town-gown collaboration, employability workshops, and mock exams for task courses in each faculty to prepare students for exams and boost their academic performances.
Following these laudable programs are other creative and innovative development, as well as academic and administrative programs which include: the full deployment of the central result management system (CRMS), which would make the electronic accessibility of results and transcripts easier, the introduction of learning management system (LMS), and application which would enhance the teaching and learning process, making the data of staffs and students, both past and present accessible, improvement on the IT infrastructure to provide a campus-wide internet access for all staffs, students and visitors, provision of transcripts within 24hrs after senate’s sitting for undergraduates, and 72hrs after application for alumni.
Introduction of smart ID cards to students, training seminars, follow-up collaborative research visits to the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters in Abuja, introducing multi-disciplinary research in faculties like Arts, Social Sciences, Law and Education. Implementing planned programmed on capacity building, entrepreneurship and skill acquisition, as well as funding programmes for students in partnership with entrepreneurial empowerment initiative, 3rd edition of the 2-days “Beyond smart master class,” targeting outstanding students with first-class, distinction and students with the highest CGPA in the second class upper (Hons) division from each department.
University of Ibadan Microsoft African Development Center collaboration would include: Microsoft certification opportunity for students, train the trainer, Microsoft sponsored visiting professors to the University of Ibadan from renowned United States of America universities, internship and sabbatical placement at Microsoft ADC opportunities for students and staff respectively.
Launching and operationalization of formal mentorship programs, starting with female academic staffs. Remodeling of the postgraduate reading room at Kenneth Dike Library, more reading rooms in the west and east wings of the second floor of the Kenneth Dike library would be rehabilitated and made suitable for users, the fourth floor of the library would be connected to solar power like the other floors. Deployment of policy on people living with physical disabilities, reviewing the senate standing rules and guidelines, completion of ongoing and new infrastructural development projects.
The Vice-Chancellor who is very excited about the 2020 agenda stated that he is as well satisfied with the gains of the previous year.
