University
of Nigeria vice chancellor Prof Bartho Okolo began Thursday farewell
visits to faculties of the institution in the Enugu campus as part of
activities to mark the end of his tenure. Okolo was appointed the 13th
Vice Chancellor of the first indigenous university in Nigeria in 2009
and ends a five year tenure on June 9.
Prof
Okolo would visit the 15 faculties of the institution, according to a
programme drawn up by a Committee on End of Service chaired by Prof S.
O. Onyegebu. He was in Business Administration, Environmental Sciences,
Health Sciences and Technology and Law all on the Enugu campus while
visiting Dentistry and Medical Sciences at the ItukuOzalla campus which
also houses the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. Continue after the cut...
At
the Nsukka main campus, he would be received by deans in the faculties
of Agriculture, Arts, Biological Sciences, Education, Engineering,
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences and
Veterinary Medicine.
Committee chairman Onyegebu said the University would hold a grand farewell ceremony for the outgoing Vice Chancellor on June 6.
The farewell ceremonies hold as selection interviews for a successor commence on June 2 through 5 at the Nsukka campus.
The
outgoing UNN vice chancellor is credited with a number of achievements
including the execution of over 400 projects covering scholarship and
learning environment, physical infrastructure, internationalisation and
staff and student welfare.
Speaking
at the 43rd Convocation of the institution in March, Okolore marked
that University administration under his leadership “made significant
progress” in various areas and that based on those achievements, “I am
truly optimistic that we are on course to realising our ambition to
build the 21st century institution we desire. However, to achieve this
objective, we must endeavour to sustain the tempo and direction of
on-going developments at the University.”
He
enumerated the achievements to include “internationalization of our
University; development of an ICT driven modern University operation
mechanism; jump-starting a research culture within the University; and
creating additional spaces to serve as classrooms, staff offices,
seminar rooms, laboratories, theatres, studios, workshops, etc., either
through the construction of new buildings or remodelling or recovery of
already existing buildings as well as fitting the newly created spaces
with requisite furniture and modern equipment to enable their effective
use.
According
to Okolo, University management under his leadership also “modernized
our classrooms and teaching laboratories and fitted them with modern
teaching facilities to enhance teaching and learning. Worthy of mention
here is the discontinuation of the use of blackboards and installation
of state-of-the-art interactive smart boards and projectors for enhanced
teaching and learning.” Others include “enhanced the profile of the
University by entering into new collaborations with reputable
institutions or revitalizing existing ones. Currently, the University
enjoys about 80 of such active collaborations with reputable
institutions across the world. In addition, we are now the proud hosts
of a UNESCO Category II Biotechnology Centre of Excellence, the only one
of its kind in Africa as well as a member of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the New York Academy of
Science;
He
said UNN “took advantage of the collaborations to create opportunities
for staff development and staff and students’ exchanges, shared
curriculum, joint research projects and staff training in vital subject
areas, exposing both staff and students to international best practices.
Some of our collaborators have also made generous donations of
equipment and books, while some have offered postgraduate scholarships
to our staff and students; funded various staff trainings abroad and
sponsored staff participation in conferences, seminars and workshops
within and outside the country; improved the quality of staff and
faculty by hiring experienced staff and faculty from abroad and offering
automatic employment to first class scholars (the impact of this on the
quality of teaching and research has been phenomenal)”.
Additionally,
UNN “improved the state of municipal facilities and infrastructure for
the purpose of improving the living and working conditions on our
campuses. (This include the installation of new distribution networks
for power and water, the procurement of new power sub-stations, the
resurfacing of roads within the campuses, etc.);revitalized essential
services which support teaching and learning, such as the University
Press and the University Bookshop; as well as “created an environmental
ambience that is deserving of a 21st century learning centre. (This was
achieved through the creation of pedestrian walkways, green lawns, the
paving of open areas, installation of garden seats and overall
improvement in the sanitary conditions in the campuses)”.
On
welfare and security, Okolo said UNN management “improved the safety on
campuses through the installation of street lights, improved security
patrol and provision of an ultra modern 2-way radio communication
equipment in both campuses; improved the living conditions of students
through rehabilitation of hostels and provision of facilities for the
recreation of students. These include the completion of the student
multi-activity court and the rehabilitation of sporting facilities; and
provided an ubiquitous, always-on wifi on a robust ICT infrastructure to
enhance communication, teaching, research and administration. The
University has now installed the Blackboard distance learning platform
and some of our faculties are currently running their courses on this
platform, while staff of other faculties are being trained on the
solution. Similarly, alumni software, ‘the raisers’ edge’ and
net-communications were installed for effective alumni activity
management.”
The
promotions cycle for staff was speeded up by reducing it from four to
three years while insisting that for academics this must be backed with
verifiable Impact Factor research published in peer reviewed journals.
Source: www.worldstagegroup.com
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