Lecturers Urged To Drive Community Development Through Innovation, Partnerships
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
The need for lecturers to rise beyond academic walls, apply their knowledge and networks to drive meaningful change at the grassroots has been stressed
Speaker after speaker at a training for University lecturers from Nigeria’s South-West, South-South, and South-East regions tagged “Fostering University Community Collaboration through Local Economic Development, LED, urged them to look beyond the classroom and play a transformative role in their host communities.
Declaring open the weeklong trainig in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Sunny Echono, reminded participants that higher institutions are more than just centers for learning but catalysts for local economic growth and social advancement.
According to him, by leveraging this role, institutions can help reduce unemployment, promote self-reliance, and stimulate economic growth in their host communities.
In her keynote speech, the lead facilitator at the training, Professor May Nwoye, described tertiary institutions as drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship and not just repositories of knowledge.
Professor May, implored participants to draw from global economic models, to foster partnerships between academia, governments, Civil asociety Organisations and businesses to unlock sustainable development in Nigeria.
For another resource person, Professor Olusiji Aina and the convener, Dr. Tope Toogun, universities are uniquely positioned to provide not just education, but also skills training, innovation platforms, and business support to both students and residents.
