ADMINISTRATORS in Nigerian universities have been urged to embrace the application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to remain relevant in the 21st century.
Former registrar of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Mr. Ayorinde Ogunruku, gave the advice while delivering the first Annual Registry Lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.
Speaking on the topic, ‘University Administration in an Emerging Democracy’, Mr. Ogunruku said that the universities in an emerging democracy must design ways of tackling under-funding, increase in population of students and staff without corresponding increase in infrastructure.
He stressed that university administration in the 21st century must design student-friendly procedures, and warned that any university that fails to give quality education to its students would lose out in a competitive democratic society where free market enterprise determines choices.
Earlier in his welcome address, the registrar of the university, Mr Omololu Adegbenro, described Registry as the hub on which the wheel of university administration revolves.
According to him, the success or failure of any university depends, to a large extent, on the competencies and otherwise of its registry staff as the custodians of university rules, regulations, culture and ethics.
He said the need to make Elizade University a world-class institution prompted him to organise the lecture barely four years after the establishment of the university.
In his keynote address, the vice chancellor, Professor Kunle Oloyede, reiterated the importance of the registry in achieving a world-class status.
He said that the registry could support the university by providing relevant data needed to improve its ranking. He also suggested that every registry should have at least a statistician that would be in charge of university data.
Professor Oloyede challenged the registries of Nigerian universities to ensure that graduates’ certificates are ready on the day of convocation.
He lamented that convocation ceremonies in the universities have been converted to avenues to celebrate honorary doctorate awardees, thereby dedicating a very small time to the graduands who, according to him, should ordinarily carry the day.
The programme, which was attended by registrars and administrative staff from other universities, was chaired by the former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Femi Bamiro.
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