Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, FAS, says one major focus of her administration would be to ensure students’ employability after graduation.
To this end, she assured that the university management would be engaging key industry players to develop academic curricula which would promote acquisition and certification in contemporary skills-set among UNILAG students even before completion of their courses.
Professor Ogunsola made this known on Thursday, November 17, 2022, during an interactive session with Students’ Leaders across Faculties and Halls of Residence.
The Vice-Chancellor affirmed the university’s desire to go beyond awarding degrees and certificates into the promotion of life skills among the students.
While soliciting the cooperation and support of the Students’ Leaders especially in addressing the numerous peculiar challenges confronting UNILAG, Prof. Ogunsola charged every UNILAG student to see his/her stay on campus as a deliberate period of investment hence, lay more emphasis on the acquisition of values despite the challenges.
She challenged the students on Waste-to-Wealth initiatives, innovations towards achieving stable, cleaner and cost-effective energy, cheaper housing, improved sewage and lavatory systems on campus and renovation of Boys’ quarters as well as other major walls, all with a view to improving the university’s outlook and making it more attractive and accommodating to all stakeholders.
The Vice-Chancellor particularly cautioned the students against Social Media tantrums instead of constructive engagement with management noting that such incidents dwell negatively on the university’s ratings, public image and prospects of students after graduation.
Prof. Ogunsola assured the Students’ Leaders of an open-door policy adding that “we all have the interest to make sure UNILAG works, it is not individuals, what we want is for every student to go out of this university with his/her UNILAG certificate and be recognized as intelligent, smart and competent”.
Issues raised by the Students’ Leaders revolved around the Academic calendar especially against the backdrop of the COVID-19 lockdown and the recently suspended ASUU strike, developments which they said have prolonged their academic programmes. The students also advocated the reintroduction of funding support for students with First class grades as well as indigents, training in Leadership and information symmetry between management and the students’ hierarchy.
While assuring the students that the issues would be adequately looked into, Prof. Ogunsola noted that the University of Lagos, just like every other sector and institution in Nigeria is under financial pressure due to dwindling resources. She reiterated her vision to position UNILAG for the future and expressed readiness to work with the entire students’ community alongside other stakeholders in delivering UNILAG as a university of the future.
