By Adeola Ogunlade
The Provost of Post Graduate Studies, Babcock University, Ayandiji Aina has challenged universities to retool their academic programmes toward raising responsible citizens imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Aina advised while delivering a lecture at the Hooding Event for the School of Postgraduate Studies, Covenant University, on Thursday in Ota.
“Drivers of Impactful Postgraduate Education in the 21st Century. 257 postgraduate students comprising 117 females and 140 males graduated at the 17th convocation ceremony for the 2022 academic session. Awards and certificates were given to the best-graduating students in Masters and PhDs.
He said that the need for universities to move from universities of cramming to institutions that stimulate the imagination, thinking, and creativity of our youths.
He noted that true knowledge encompasses cognitive, experiential, emotional, relational, inductive, and spiritual elements.
Aina stated that retooling institutions’ curricula have become necessary because we live in a world driven by technology, just as electricity is central to any meaningful living, so is technology to a world-class education.
Emphasizing the need for researchers to impact society, he said the illiterates of the 21st century would be those who refused to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Aina stressed the need for strong mentoring researchers to mentor students to impact the world in the 21st century.
“The students are to be the primary focus of the entire education effort and are to be accepted and assisted to reach their highest potential and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives,” he said.
The don said strong economic and political environments, which engendered collaboration, research exchange, and building confidence and trust, would make the country join the league of leading global educational institutions.
Aina enjoined the graduands to be drivers’ of impactful education and to be God-fearing and ideas revolutionists, who were ready to champion the cause of true education.
He advised graduating postgraduate students of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, to put into practice what they learned to make a positive impact.
Earlier, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Covenant University, Prof. Akan Williams, congratulated the graduands and urged them to impact their world positively.
Williams said the vision of the Postgraduate School was aligned with that of Covenant University, which was to raise a new generation of leaders.
The Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, Prof Abiodun Adebayo, represented by Prof. Olujide Adekeye, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, cautioned the graduands against pitfalls and to run away from pride.
“At no time should you demonstrate pride because pride brings people down,” he said, adding that the world was eagerly waiting for them to conquer.
