The Human Resources Development Centre (HRDC) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has commenced a five-day training programme for Council Affairs Officers drawn from tertiary institutions across the country including UNILAG; Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun among others.
The training which has the theme: Efficient Council Affairs Management started on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 with an Opening Ceremony which was graced by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services) of UNILAG, Professor Lucian Chukwu who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor, Folashade Ogunsola, FAS.
In his remarks, Professor Chukwu described the programme as the outcome of requests from 15 different universities, as well as feedbacks from previous capacity building/training programmes organised by the HRDC. He said the programme is designed to sharpen the administrative skills of tertiary institutions’ personnel in the area of Council Affairs management.
His words: “As administrative staff of your respective universities, you must be deeply knowledgeable of Council Affairs and be well informed of the clear distinction between University Governance and University Management. University Management deals with the day-to-day running of the university while University Governance is concerned with the policies that guide daily affairs of the university in line with the Act and other establishment instruments. Policy administration is in the domain of the Governing Council and academic governance dwells with the Senate of the University”.
Similarly, in his welcome address, the Director of HRDC, Dr. Lateef Odekunle explained that the Centre as a training unit of the University of Lagos is charged with the mission to build capacity in the personnel of the institution and other educational institutions across the country.
“This event was scheduled for an earlier time than this but it had to be re-scheduled due to the industrial action of university workers. Our determination to carry on with it underscores the importance that is attached to the need for capacity building for officers in the tertiary education system, especially for those who work in the Council Affairs offices”, he said.
A former Registrar of University of Lagos, Dr. Folashade Ipaye who delivered a paper titled ‘Overview of Tertiary Institutions System: Organisational Structure and Governance from the Perspective of Federal, State and Private Institutions’ shared many professional insights with the trainees, drawing upon her many years of university administration, particularly her years of service as Registrar and Secretary to Council.
According to her, “At the apex of the governance structure of any tertiary institution is the Governing Council which serves as the repository of records, custodian of rules and regulations, as well as encyclopaedia of laws and tradition. That separation of power is not obvious in private institutions.”
Dr. Ipaye concluded by urging the trainees to be committed to continuous learning, and be conversant with rules and regulations that guide operations in the public service.
