A 5 – day workshop to enhance the capacity of management staff in the Registry, Bursary, Internal Audit, and Information Technology Departments of the University of Ibadan to bring about needed change in the University Administration System has begun.
The workshop was declared open by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Professor Ezekiel O. Ayoola, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS.
In an address sent to the participants, Professor Adebowale noted that it was important for the University to start emphasising the right soft skills for executing job schedules in order to make the University remain competitive.
These new skills, according to the Vice Chancellor, will change the face of the University’s administrative system and make it user-friendly and efficient.
He stated that the University of Ibadan is a leading institution to be reckoned with, nationally and internationally, adding that it was therefore right for it to demonstrate leadership in moving university administration to the next level through e- governance and e- administration.
Professor Adebowale appreciated the MacArthur Grants Liaison Office for sponsoring the workshop.
He urged the participants to see themselves as the most critical set of stakeholders on whose shoulders rest the responsibility to create the enabling environment for change in University administration and as such, make the best use of the training opportunity.
The Registrar, Mr. Ganiyu O. Saliu noted that modern ICT, the news media, and artificial intelligence have contributed immensely to characterising the supersonic growth and development of the modern world and our modernity through digital technology.
He noted that the University of Ibadan’s team of governance, staff and students, have to acknowledge, appreciate, appropriate and key into the reality, and maximise its very rich e-resources in order to make UI and its products to be locally relevant and globally competitive.
Mr. Saliu said the workshop was, therefore, a very good step in the right direction, a proactive action to bring about enhanced capacity building of the participating staff as well as acquisition of relevant skills in key thematic areas of digital information and communication application.
The MacArthur Grants Liaison Officer, Professor R. A. Oderinde said the workshop became imperative because of some observable challenges in both the content and context of higher education administration in Nigeria and Africa in general, arising partly from globalised digitization.
He said the workshop was organized to enable the participants, through the acquired skills impact positively, the obvious affective systemic challenges, and bring about requisite change in the University’s governance and administration.
The Bursar, Mr Adewuyi Popoola noted that the contribution of the MacArthur Foundation in various capacity building and career enhancement programmes like this in the University of Ibadan in previous years has resulted immensely in improved productivity and professionalism in the discharge of core financial and administrative duties in the University.
He said that this kind of workshop for Management staff is a veritable instrument to enhance mentorship and sustainable administrative activities in the institution.
Good will messages were received from the Director of the Africa Office of the MacArthur Foundation, Abuja, Dr Kole Shettima; the University Librarian, Dr. Mercy Iroaganachi; the Director of the UI Research Foundation, Professor A. M. J. Oduola; the Director of the Research Management Office, Professor A. S. Jegede; and the Director of ITeMs, Mrs Abiodun Alao.
Other well-wishers included the Director of the Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Professor I. Oladosu; the Director of the Centre for Control and Prevention of Zoonoses, Professor S. B. Cadmus; the Director of the Gender Mainstreaming Office, Professor Olapeju Aiyelaagbe; and from the Centre for Drug Discovery, Development and Production, Dr Oladapo Adetunji.
The workshop is being facilitated by a team of experts from Digital Bridge Institute, led by the Manager, Professional and Certification Programme, Mr Emeka Nzeih.
Topics to be discussed include e-Government and e-Governance, Introduction to Infographics, Using Infographics, Introduction to Cartography, Adding Multimedia, etc.
