New Universities Need Strong Institutional Partnerships to Grow, Says FUTES-IYIN Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti (FUTES-IYIN), Professor James Olugbenga Aribisala, has stressed the importance of institutional collaboration and knowledge sharing between newly established universities and older institutions with established systems and experience.

Professor Aribisala stated this on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, when the principal officers of FUTES-IYIN paid a working visit to the management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).

The visit, according to the Vice-Chancellor, was part of the University’s deliberate efforts to draw from the experience of institutions that have over the years developed tested systems in university administration, academic planning, research, quality assurance and other critical aspects of institutional management.

Speaking during the engagement, Professor Aribisala expressed appreciation to the FUTA management for receiving the delegation.

He said the University’s position as a new institution made it necessary to establish relationships with older universities, particularly those with similar mandates, in order to learn from their experiences and avoid unnecessary institutional learning curves.

“As a newly established university, we believe there is a lot we can learn from institutions that have been here before us. We are interested in understanding what has worked, what may not have worked, and how we can build our own systems on tested experiences while developing an identity of our own,” Professor Aribisala said.

He identified university governance and administration, academic programme development, quality assurance, research and innovation, human resource management, financial administration, library development and ICT as some of the areas where FUTES-IYIN could benefit from FUTA’s experience.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasised that the engagement was not conceived as a one-off visit but as the beginning of a sustained institutional relationship that could develop into wider collaborations in research, staff development, academic programmes, capacity building and other areas of mutual interest.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adenike Oladiji, congratulated the management of FUTES-IYIN on the establishment of the institution and the commencement of academic activities.

Professor Oladiji assured the visiting team of FUTA’s willingness to support the new university through experience sharing and institutional collaboration.

She stressed that the early years of a university are critical to determining the strength of its foundation, noting that sound governance, effective academic planning, quality assurance, efficient administrative systems and adherence to regulatory and professional standards are essential to institutional sustainability.

The FUTA Vice-Chancellor also noted that FUTES-IYIN’s focus on technology and environmental sciences presents significant opportunities for the University to contribute to national development through teaching, research, innovation and community service.

While encouraging the management of FUTES-IYIN to build on what she described as its “strong beginning”, she expressed optimism that the relationship between both institutions would evolve into a productive partnership.

Also on the delegation were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olumide Ogundipe; Registrar, Mr. Oluwole Dada; Bursar, Mrs. Ajayi Adeniyi Rachael; and University Librarian, Professor Isaac Busayo.