‘Professionals’ knowledge sharing to bridge gap in varsity training, industry practices’

A lot has been written and said about the problems plaguing the nation’s tertiary education system over the years, especially the over reliance of theory based approach to teaching and learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Courses.

While it is no longer news that citadel of higher learning have remain glued to the normal routine theory based learning with little or no practical experience blend in delivery of lectures, what is however worrisome is the fact that this approach have over the contributed to universities churning out graduates that are not well rounded in their field of study which in turn leads to low productivity and unemployment.

It is in a bid to arrest this worrisome trend therefore that professionals in Geoscience from Exxonmobil have taken a strategic step to boost the practical approach to learning through a Lecture Series for Universities.

The series, being implemented under the University Assistance Programme (UAP), an initiative of ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), would hold in 17 schools that have benefited from the programme.

Under the Lecture Series, senior geosciences professionals from ExxonMobil Upstream companies will be presenting lectures at selected Nigerian universities on a pro bono basis, sharing their wealth of experience and depth of technical knowledge with both students and academic staff of these universities.

Gilbert Odior, the Geosciences Coordinator, who represented Andrew Ejayeriese General Manager, Exploration, EEPNL, at the flag-off programme at the University of Ibadan, (UI) said the aim is to further bridge the gap between university training and industry practices.

He noted that the UAP has been intervening in the Geosciences department of the 17 universities providing them with workstations and other equipment for laboratories and ICT units, organising training for lecturers, and funding field trips.

Universities to benefit from the lecture series include: Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun; University of Lagos, Akoka; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Port Harcourt; University of Calabar; and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Others are: “University of Benin; Delta State University, Abraka; Akwa Ibom State University; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Enugu State University of Science and Technology; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; and the Anambra State University, Uli.

Ejayeriese observes that the 24 lectures will include Understanding the Upstream Oil and Gas Business; ExxonMobil Company Overview; Understanding the Oil and Gas Business; Sedimentation Concepts and Structural Styles; and Petroleum Economics and Economic Evaluations would be delivered at each university during a three-day workshop.

Abiodun Onilude, Dean, Faculty of Science while speaking on behalf of the vice chancellor, University of Ibadan opportunity that the lecture series provide will no doubt build the capacity of both academics and students that forms the bedrock of the university system.

He praised ExxonMobil for its investment in the UAP, valued at about N2 billion across all the universities and thanked the company for investing 60 per cent of the intervention in UI.

The dean however appealed to the company to invest in other departments in the faculty like Chemistry and Microbiology, which both have areas that deal with geosciences.

According to him, “Through the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programme, you have improved science and technology.  But there are other departments in the faculty that need help for instance, Chemistry and Microbiology”.

Meanwhile Toyin Sarumi, ExxonMobil Nigeria Women Interest Network (WIN) president disclosed that through the university outreach programme, they hope to nurture the enthusiasm of young female undergraduates particularly those in Geoscience and engineering department.

KELECHI EWUZIE