University of Ibadan Holds Four Day Retreat for Governing Council

The University of Ibadan has organised a four-day retreat for members of its Governing Council aimed at strengthening institutional governance and strategic planning for the university.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Adebisi Akande, said the retreat was designed to provide an enabling environment for council members to deliberate on measurable benchmarks for achieving the council’s priorities.

Akande, a former governor of Osun State, explained that the gathering would help the council develop clear procedures that support good governance and effective management needed for institutional excellence.

According to him, the retreat also provides an opportunity for the council to identify major challenges in university administration and explore new strategies for addressing them, noting that the council plays a critical role in the overall management of the institution.

During the programme, the Vice-Chancellor Kayode Adebowale presented a report on the state of the university titled Progress, Challenges and Opportunities.

He said that since assuming office on November 1, 2021, his administration has focused on stabilising governance, improving academic quality, reforming service delivery, and upgrading critical infrastructure while positioning the institution for long-term growth and global relevance.

Adebowale highlighted key achievements including improved programme accreditation, expansion of academic programmes, recruitment of new staff, strengthened governance structures, increased global visibility, and improved institutional stability.

The keynote lecture at the retreat was delivered by Olufemi Bamiro, an emeritus professor of Mechanical Engineering and former Vice-Chancellor of the university. His presentation, titled Enhancing the Quality of Institutional Leadership and Governance of Nigerian Universities Towards Sustainable Management and Optimal Performance, examined the evolving role of universities in national development.

Bamiro argued that Nigerian universities must transform into drivers of socio-economic development by fully deploying their teaching, research, and innovation capacities to help move the country from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.

He added that for the University of Ibadan to achieve its mission of strengthening leadership, strategy, and service delivery, it must leverage its faculties to promote multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research capable of addressing development-focused challenges within its host community and beyond.

Other presentations at the retreat included University Academic Culture and Tradition, Foundations, Values and the Future of UI by Eyitope Ogunbodede; Council Management Relations Managing Boundaries for Synergy by Mojisola Ladipo; The Roles of the Governing Council in the Financial Sustainability of Universities by Olusola Ilesanmi; and Understanding the Procurement Act and Processes Key Government Financial Regulations and Its Implications for University Councils by James Akanmu.

Participants also held action-planning sessions where members of the council discussed practical strategies and developed specific plans to address key priorities identified during the retreat.