Why African, Russian varsities must focus on training of engineers- VC

Prof. Francisca Oladipo, the Vice-Chancellor of Thomas Adewumi University (TAU), Oko-Irese, says African and Russian universities must focus on the training of engineers.

She spoke on Tuesday at the Academic Session for Russian and African Rectors held at Saint Petersburg Mining University, Russia.

A statement issued by the Office of the Vice Chancellor and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said the forum was part of the Second Russia-Africa Raw Materials Dialogue.

The statement, which said Oladipo was the only Nigerian Vice Chancellor on the speakers’ programme, qouted her as saying that the training of engineers must remain at the centre of cooperation in the minerals sector.

According to the statement, Oladipo’s presentation was entitled: “From Ore to Engineer: Nigeria’s Engineering Education System, and the Partnership it Invites.”

It further quoted her as saying that 122 of Nigeria’s 328 universities now offer accredited engineering education.

She said 52 of the institutions had attained Outcome-Based Education accreditation while the national register has 101,393 engineering practitioners.

Oladipo said with Nigeria a provisional signatory to the Washington Accord since 2023 and Russia a full signatory since 2012, the two countries already had a common accreditation language.

This, she said, indicated a firm foundation for joint degrees, credit transfer and mutual recognition.

The vice-chancellor also drew attention to the gap between the supply of engineering professionals and national need, particularly among technicians and technologists.

Oladipo said this was coming at a time when Nigeria’s value-addition policy was bringing lithium processing and steel production home.

Recalling that Ajaokuta Steel Company was built with Soviet partners in 1979, Oladipo said that “infrastructure can be imported, but capability must be grown.”

“Africa’s minerals will be processed somewhere. The question is who will be trained to do it,” she added.

She proposed joint partnership for postgraduate training on minerals processing and metallurgy between Russian and African universities.

Oladipo also called for intelligent mining built on trusted African-owned data as well as stronger pathways for technicians and technologists.

TAU, based in Oko-Irese, Kwara, is a private STEM-focused university licenced in 2021.(NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz