Freshers at the First Technical University, Ibadan, are filled with great expectations as the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adesola Ajayi, alongside other top officials, has introduced them to the academic, vocational and entrepreneurial culture of the institution.
At the orientation for the 2022/23 set of students, held on the campus last week, the Vice Chancellor welcomed the freshers and gave them a picture of the life-changing experience ahead of them.
According to him, the First Technical University is a wonderful institution ready to offer them the best in their various disciplines. All they required, he said, was commitment to their studies and a hunger for innovation and excellence.
Professor Ajayi said, “In the spirit of building the brain and training hands, you will be provided with the best academic education in your various courses, while you will get entrepreneurship and vocational training. At the end of your programme, you will be awarded three certificates, each of which is good enough to give you a solid future. These are your BSc. in your course of study, a Diploma Certificate in Entrepreneurship, and another Diploma Certificate in French. This, of course, means that a lot is expected of you because you will not get these certificates on a silver platter. We will not dash you any of the certificates. You must assiduously work for it.
“You need not be scared, however; because this university has everything that will guide and support you to attain the best. Our lecturers are highly qualified, competent and experienced. The university has a very rich library with all the physical and digital materials required. We have a digitised system that will give you a novel and unique e-learning experience. Well, you will soon discover that instead of the chalkboards and white boards with which you were taught in the foundation schools – and as still obtains in many other higher institutions – Tech-U has provided smartboards that are computerised and will guarantee you a great teaching-learning experience.”
The Vice Chancellor further told the students about Tech-U’s network of partnerships with some foreign universities and corporate organisations. These include the Texas Technical University in the United States of America; the Morgan State University, US; the Atlanta College, also in the United States of America; as well as the Girne American University, Cyprus. The partnerships will provide the opportunity for students to have parts of their programmes in these foreign institutions once necessary criteria are met.
He encouraged them to cultivate only positive relationships and desist from bad company as the school has no tolerance for indiscipline. The VC urged them not to misuse the freedom they have.
“Think creatively and imbibe the idea of innovation,” Ajayi added.
In one of the sessions, the Registrar, Mrs Olayinka Balogun, spoke on Tech-U Tradition and Practice, just as the Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Professor Charles Akanbi, took the students through Course Unit System and Leave of Absence process.
While the Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Professor Abiodun Salami; and the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr Caleb Aborisade, respectively discussed ‘Life on Campus’ and ‘Code of Conduct’ for students, Prof. Steven Ojo, the Dean of Environmental Sciences and Management, gave a lecture on academic activities and assessment process.
Other officials who handled other areas are Professor Okesola (Navigating Tech-U’s ICT Platforms for Academic Activities), Dr Ramon Akinbode, Deputy Librarian (Physical and Online Facilities), Dr K. N. Awokoya (Industrial Worl Experience) and Mrs I. A. Ajayi (Access to Good Health: Living a Healthy and Productive Lifstyle on Campus).
Dr, Dr. Sehinde Akinbiola and Mrs Christian Moses spoke on Sports in Tech U, encouraging the students to participate in sporting activities, while counselling them on time management so that their primary programmes on campus will not suffer.
