Welcome to the Humboldt Kolleg on Quality and Good Governance in Higher Education Management

1. Welcome to the Humboldt Kolleg on Quality and Good Governance in Higher Education Management & Intermediary Meeting of DAAD-DIES International Deans’ Course, Class of 2009 ABUJA, NIGERIA, 1st – 6th November 2009 Professor Bassey E. Antia University of Maiduguri

2. Vice Chancellor Tasks Lecturers on ResearchFrom Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, 09.10.2009 (http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=154002) • Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Kwara state,  Prof. Is-haq  Oloyede,  yesterday  tasked university lecturers  to regenerate themselves in the growth of research and training so as to enhance the socio-economic development of the country.  Oloyede stated this in his opening remarks during the orientation programme organised by the University of Ilorin Centre for Research, Development and In-House Training (CREDIT) for the Coordinators, Heads of Departments, Directors and Deans of the University. "Universities across the world have a transformational mission in terms of training, research and development and no university can afford to be tired of revising the strategies of repositioning itself for greater achievements in the triple areas of research, development and training which are crucial to any university system,” he said.  Bassey E. Antia: University of Maiduguri

3. The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Albert  Olayemi, said the establishment of CREDIT was predicated on the need to revive aspects of the university traditions and cultures which have been left comatose for some time.   He added that,  by putting research, development and training on its top agenda, the university hopes that the system would be regenerated, the traditions resuscitated and the culture rejuvenated for the staff, students and the university at large. Oloyede stressed that while much of the decay has often been attributed to the paucity of funds, the real problem lies in lecturers facing their duties so that the real academic culture, alien to many now, would be brought back into the Nigerian university system Bassey E. Antia: University of Maiduguri

4. COMMENTS [total: 2] Ayo 09.11.2009 16:51 Finally, somebody is making sense! OLA 09.11.2009 22:25I don\'t think the Vice Chancellor is making any sense at all in that he is not being realistic and balanced, as he should in this instance. You cannot have a vibrant and active academic community in the current massively depressed education sector in Nigeria. For example, you cannot expect a lecturer who is not even sure they would receive their next stipend to devote his only means to sustainable and realistic income -time- on research. They would rather be creative or resourceful in the use of their time in other practical ways. Research, to live up to its purpose as a source of new knowledge, cannot be successfully conducted without reliable and up to date Information Technology infrastructure. Evidently, the very few lecturers in Nigeria who have a PC or lap-top would not be able to operate them for lack of electricity and batteries to power them - not to talk of the remaining thousands who do not have any access to a PC at all. Bassey E. Antia: University of Maiduguri

5. COMMENTS [total: 2] OLA 09.11.2009 22:25Moreover, research studies by lecturers are commissioned by government- that is, in a country where the government knows what it is doing and importance of research-led or evidence-based policies and socio/political intervention.I don\'t think there is anywhere else in the world than Nigeria that it is more evident both politicians and the \"intelligentsia\" haven\'t the slightest clue about the instrumentality of education to overall development of a nation.So, saying what appears to be the right thing is not making sense but rather how or practical and realistic suggestions by which your propositions could be actualised or realised. In other words, it is not enough to offer diagnosis of a problem that is common knowledge. Make a difference by telling us how the problem is to be solved. That is how and when you make sense because by so doing you would have half-solved or at least inspired your audience to find a solution to the problem - clearly no disrespect to Ayo at all. Bassey E. Antia: University of Maiduguri

6. Agenda • There is probably an angry Ade and an optimistic Ayo in each one of us, irrespective of country • But by Friday, when workshop ends … • will you be more of an Ade or more of an Ayo? • will you be able to see a need for rethinking partnership and responsibility options in the running of higher education? • will you see how management know-how can evolve new discourses to support the process of rethinking partnership and responsibility options? Bassey E. Antia: University of Maiduguri