21ST CENTURY UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA:STRIDES,CHALLENGES AND PATHWAYS.

PROFESSOR O IBIDAPO-OBE FAS,FAENG.,OFRPRESIDENT

NIGERIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

COOPERATION & COLLABORATION BETWEEN

INSTITUTIONS-

Who are the Stakeholders?

What are their expectations?

Social and/or Economic benefits.

Proprietors.

Students.

Community.Employers and Basic Skills.

Co-Location in HEI.

Smoothens unevenness.

Ensures spread of good tidings!

Provides macro measurable indices.

If University A that collaborates with B is favorably ranked-then B is also in the same class as A.

Students are better exposed to a variety of learning styles.

Mandate.

Research.-public/private sector for profit.

Teaching .

Community Engagement.-corporate social responsibility(CSR).

Teaching implies Examinations-why not collaborate to set a Joint Universities Examination Board as in University of Cambridge or London Examination Board. Our own WAEC?.

Discussion Topics.

Introduction-Environmental Scanning/Stakeholders.

What is new in the 21st Century?.Emerging New Modes of Education.What are the Challenges?.How do we overcome these challenges?.What are the areas of Institutional Cooperation?. Where can Institutions Collaborate?.How do we ensure distinct identity?-Lagos and

GAS!

Universities!.

The Nature of Universities are Knowledge Producing and Knowledge Sharing Institutions.

The Concept of ‘Publish or Perish’.To publish-there must be research!.There are infinite number of research areas.It therefore cannot be solely undertaken.Need enabling environment, personnel and

equipment.

What is New in the 21st Century?

Large and growing Population of young adults that demand quality education.

Convergence of Information Technology and Communication.

Conquest of Space!Growing demand for access.Democracy!!.Individual efforts are neither effective nor

efficient.

Emerging New Modes of Learning.

Quality Assurance and the Face-to-Face Mode.

Electronic LMS(Learning Management Systems).

E-Learning.Open and Distance Learning.How can institutions collaborate and still

retain individual character?

What are the Challenges?

Many More Students.

Fewer Teachers.

Inadequate Facilities.

Unsavory learning environment.

Funding.

Attitude.

What are the Pathways?

Teaching Collaboration-Lagos and ThermoFluids.,Functional Analysis,etc.

Inculcation of best practice in teaching delivery(e-teacher!).

Invited lectures and seminars for modular teaching.(Lagos-Ife-Ilorin axis).

National Mathematical Centre/SHEDA-share teaching of innovative topics.

What are the Pathways?(2).

Equipment Sharing for Laboratories and Workshops-HPLC, FTIR,AAS,Dekel Lathe Machines,Milling Machines,etc.

Co-supervision of post-graduate students for credit!

Research Collaboration.

Joint Proposals for Funding-National Research Foundation.Step-B.University Research Grants.Foundations(local and international).NSF,NRC,IDRC,etcAvenues to show expertise-NUC @ Lagos

Poster Session.

Community Engagement.

Co-Location(as in telecom. Towers and cable-network) for neighbouring /regional institutions such as UNILAG, LASU,Caleb,Crawford,YCT,etc to work together.

The new face of CSR-MTN, JBN, Zenith Bank, Intercontinental Bank, First Bank, UBA ,etc

Job Placement and Skills Training-Saturday Clinics to prepare students for job placement.

Community Engagement.(2)

University(ies) Consultancy Services.Bid Documents require multi-and-inter

disciplinary teams.The bid amount usually high and non-refundable.

Human Resources Development Unit(s).Continuing Education.Sandwich Programmes.Short Courses.

Research Parks/Innovation Centres.

Conclusions.

Institutions must constantly do an honest S.W.O.T. analysis.

Do an environmental scanning to update opportunities in core competencies in 1515 and service.

Cooperation and Collaboration should be a standard policy from top-to-bottom of institutions.

Thank youO Ibidapo-Obe