The newly inaugurated vice chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Professor Michael Olufisayo Ologunde on Thursday reeled out his mission to make the institution a commander in education industry in the 21st century by striving to work towards the realization of the vision, mission and goals of founding fathers of LAUTECH through a number of strategies.
Ologunde was inaugurated as the seventh and first homegrown vice chancellor of LAUTECH alongside two other principal officers; Dr Kayode Ogunleye; Registrar and Mr Yomi Okediji as Bursar
He was presented with the University mace as a symbol of authority by the representative of Osun state government on LAUTECH, Mrs Roseline Taiwo Ajao.
The Food scientist in his acceptance speech at the occasion held at the Great Hall, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Oyo state, said having accepted to take the mantle of leadership, he is determined to lead with example by being prudent and transparent with from and management.
“Our first strategy is to embark on a mission of peace building and later-on, seek to consolidate on virtues of a world-class university. my administration will invest heavily on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in preparing our students for the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution or the digital future.
“We shall work out measures aimed at ensuring a sustainable financial base for the University through fundraising strategies and prudent fund management. All over the world, finance is one of the critical challenges facing universities in the 21st Century. We shall work within the framework of the strategic plan to diversify and maximize the income streams of the University.
“The Strategic Plan of the University will be re-appraised and operationalised, we shall embark on human capacity development and the University will develop robust research policy and upgrade its research infrastructure.
“We shall introduce participatory community programmes and other initiatives to enhance “Gown and Town” interactions. We shall bring together and unite all stakeholders for the benefit of the University. An atmosphere that will enable free and independent contribution to the development of the University will be created. A LAUTECH/OGBOMOSO and LAUTECH/OSOGBO community partnerships will be established to further strengthen this cooperation.”
Earlier in his lecture, the Managing Director, Shepard Research Institute, Maryland and Consultant to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), USA, Dr R. L. Shepard on the topic “linking LAUTECH with the global education community: collaborations with Historically Black Colleges and Universities” challenged the new management to take off by giving unequalled attention to the dream of the founding fathers of the institution.
Ologunde in his nine-point model to chart new front for the institution said, “The new administration will keep faith with the vision and mission of the founding fathers. My mission as Vice-Chancellor at this point in time, therefore, is to steer the University towards its goal of producing the pool of digitally empowered, technology-savvy individuals who will be capable of spearheading a gradual shift of the national economy from manufacturing towards the information-based service industry, in tune with the demands of the 21st-century global knowledge economy. We hope to work towards the realisation of the vision, mission and goals of LAUTECH through a number of strategies.
