NUC Commits to PartneringNCDMBon Faculty Model Programme

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A.Okojie,OON, has assured the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) of the Commission’s partnership to promote the ‘’Adopt a Faculty (AAFac) Model Programme”.

Welcoming ateam from the Board led byMr.DenzilA. Kentebe, on a courtesy visit to the Commission, on Monday, 24 August, 2015, the Executive Secretary, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, ProfessorChieduMafiana, said that he was elated about the collaboration which, he noted, would open a new frontier of opportunities for Nigerian universities. He told the delegation that the main responsibility of the Commission was to ’see to the orderly development of the Nigerian Universities,’ which it does through quality assurance and maintenance of academic standards. 

The NUC Scribe remarked that the relationship between Industries and Universities was very weak and that there was need to strengthen it, saying that the Commission have a TV Programme (Voyage of Discovery) which showcased researches of different professionals, aimed at drawing the attention of those who need the output of the universities in the industry.He commended NCDMB for seeking the consent of the Commission before tinkering with the idea of the curriculum review which was NUC’s sole responsibilities and stated that linkage with the relevant industries in the oil and gas so as to accommodate students on the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was very crucial.

Professor Okojie disclosed that the team would have to identify the gaps so that the universities in return would know what they have to deliver. He stated that the Commission would advise the Board on the issue of “Adopt a faculty” with the 12 selected institutions so that they worked out details of the programme and agree implementation steps. He said that monitoring and evaluation should be instituted in whatever decision taken, adding that the checking of who goes on sabbatical would have to be fully defined. He informed the delegation that the NUC team would comprise 5 members of the Management including the Deputy Executive Secretary 1, Directors of Academic Standards, Research and Innovation, Quality Assurance and Inspection and Monitoring.

Responding, Mr. Kentebe, disclosed that the establishment of NCDMB was propagated in2010 by the Nigerian oil and gas industry as a way to sustain production and revenue which was a spring board to sustain production and revenue for the industrialisation of the Nigerian economy.  He noted that the role of the universities was to provide skill and manpower in the oil and gas chain, but the academic structure does not fully address the needs of the sector since the partnership between the Board and universities had not being fully defined.

The leader of the delegation informed the NUC Scribe that the Board was implementingAAFac programme as part of its capacity development initiatives to achieve the linking of academia with oil and gas industry, to address the problem of lack of job readiness of graduates from Nigerian institutions by facilitating partnerships between industry and academia. He canvassed for the university curriculum to be aligned to industry technology and skill requirements so as to maintain healthy pipeline for future oil and gas talents and help build training capacity and infrastructure relevant to the needs of the industry. He said the Board sought to develop a culture for applied research that would stimulate commercialisation of research findings emanating from Nigerian academic institutions and   pilot an initiative where beneficiaries of Nigerian oil and gas resources invest towards manpower and innovation development.

The NCDM Executive Secretary said that in order to achieve the set objectives of (AAFac), the scopethey had adopted covered the provision of internship slots (SIWES) for students in oil companies, curriculumrevision, research incubation, with intent to adapt and commercialise sabbatical slots for academicians in the oil company so that they would understand trends in the industry and transfer such knowledge to their students. He requested that the Commission partner with them to set up a Committee within the next few weeks andproposed a meeting again in October to approve the course.  He also pledged to cooperate with NUC as regards the processes involved, adding that operating and service companies would be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) with preferred academic institutions detailing the scope of AAFac and its expected impact.

Also in the delegation were: Manager Strategy and Policy,Mr AbudulmalkHalilu, Manager Government Relations,Ms Alexis B. Emelle, Strategy and Policy Development Officer,Mr Chukwuma O.Ojiudu and Director, Planning, Research and Statistics,Mr.DazibaP.Obah.