PEOPLE ARE THE HALLMARK OF WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY- FUNAI DON
The Head of Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State, Professor O. O Ugwu said it is the quality of human resource available in a University that determines its capacity to achieve world class standard.
He stated this recently as the Department of Civil Engineering organized its inaugural seminar to stoke the University’s resolve to build a world class Department of Civil Engineering.
Prof. O.O Ugwu speaking during the seminar
Speaking on the topic: “Building a World Class Civil Engineering Department: The Human Resource Dimension”, Ugwu noted that the greatness of a University is not measured by its structures but the content of its staff and products.
“World class university is not facility-centered but people-oriented”, he opined.
He maintained that a university is ranked based on its human factor utility, in maintaining high concentration of talents that herald quality assurance in teaching, research and community service.
Cross section of participants at the seminar
The Director of Research and Development further averred that embarking on inter-disciplinary research and shared initiatives centered on solving societal problems were some of the benchmark for ranking a University globally.
Underscoring the strategic importance of people in development, he noted that though without any traceable natural resources, Singapore still was able to move from been a third world country to one of the Tiger nations because it used its people as asset to champion their rapid and sustainable development.
Another Cross section of participants at the seminar
He lamented that part of the problems bedeviling the Nigerian education sector was incessant industrial actions by staff and the brain drain syndrome, adding that the factors were developmental obstacles that impede the growth of Nigerian Universities.
In trying to ensure that such obstacles do not rear its ugly head in FUNAI, the erudite scholar canvassed for quality teaching staff and non-teaching staff, constant staff development and training and motivation to fan the ember of high performance and productivity, advising the University to imbibe the policy of demographic succession in other to replace aging professors/lecturers with first class graduates.
Earlier in his remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Prof. M O Edoga argued that ‘world class’ is not a verbal representation but a practical demonstration of quality jobs in every area of the University system.
Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Prof. Mathew Edoga at the event