The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has called on the federal government to grant full autonomy in academic, administrative and financial matters to the university.
The university expressed concern over the mis-classification of universities under Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while demanding an “urgent correction,” reports Daily Trust.
These were some of the observations contained in the communique signed by the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Abosede Wickliffe, which was issued after the university governing council retreat, held in Lagos.
The communique highlighted some of the bottlenecks confronting the institution, adding that access to research grants and donations within the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework remains restricted and should be reviewed.
The university’s Pro-chancellor, Chief Wole Olanipekun, who spoke during the retreat with the theme “UNILAG Beyond Today: Unlocking Value, Optimizing Assets & Location, and Shaping the Future”, emphasised the focus on repositioning UNILAG as a globally competitive university, leveraging its assets, strategic Lagos location, technological potential and human capital.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade T. Ogunsola gave an overview of UNILAG’s current status, highlighting strengths and challenges.
She also spoke on rankings, research excellence, experiential learning, programme accreditations, admissions, open distance learning, and global partnerships.
The keynote speaker, HRM Oba Prof. Akin Owosekun, Owosekun II, Asotun of Isotun, Ijesaland, and renowned higher education consultant, in his presentation titled ‘UNILAG Beyond Today’, recommended that the university should pursue financial growth through property development, applied research and development via reverse engineering, and the exploration of solid mineral resources.
According to the communique, the council advised on the rethinking of funding models for Nigerian universities, urging the federal government to grant universities full autonomy in academic, administrative and financial matters.
It stressed the need for the acceleration of the integration of digital learning and AI into teaching, research and administration and expansion of smart campus solutions such as e-learning platforms, virtual labs and automated services.
It also recommended the diversification of revenue sources through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), alumni contributions, and other innovative strategies, and that endowment funds be maximised to support research and infrastructure.
