The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti, FUTESI, Professor Gbenga Arebisala, says the school will ensure quality academic standards by recruiting Staff and students who can win international laurels through their outputs to attain an international reputation in no distant time.
Professor Arebisala, who stated this in an interview with Radio Nigeria Correspondent at the University site, Iyin Ekiti, explained that the management would always do background checks on both staff and students to be recruited to prevent any action that could compromise the progress and core values of the new university.
“University is a community of Scholars, and we would ensure the quality of staff and students to gain an international reputation. We don’t want to bring in any staff who would threaten students that they will fail, no, no, such a lecturer or staff cannot have their way in this university, as a person, I can’t supervise over shenanigans”.
He said, “I am not under pressure to make money; the federal government would be paying the salaries of staff. This school can’t employ or engage workers who would be idle or engage in activities that would bring the name of the school into disrepute. The university would not be for just commercial reasons, but to stand as a source of societal development”.
While speaking on the university’s recruitment methods, Professor Arebisala further explained that advertisement and every process would be in line with the federal character principles to ensure that only staff who had a passion for excellence were engaged to promote a meaningful academic environment.
“Research work would be prioritised to ensure that the university turns out students who would be job creators and not job seekers. We are passionate about building a university that is ICT driven, transparent and integrity”
The FUTESI Vice Chancellor emphasised that the school would not be for commercial reasons but to stand as a source of building human resources for the advancement of societal development.
He observed that the newly established University would not admit students who failed to meet the standard of admission processes as specified by the regulating bodies, the Council of the University’s principles and the management’s passion for academic excellence.
While speaking on the Welfare of would-be staff and students of the University, the FUTESI Vice Chancellor, said that management would prioritize the recruitment of competent academic and non academic Staff who had passion for academic research works that would win grants, attract global attention, highly respectful, neat and always ready to assist students and anyone, when the need arises.
“With the kind of quality of Council Members that we have, I don’t foreseen any issue that can plug the university into problems, the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Senator Bita is a scholar and Senator of federal Republic of Nigeria who is very passionate about education, We have MD of Premium Bank in our Council, we have a lady from the US, and also a Pioneer, Provost College of Medicine, Afe Babalola University, ABUAD Professor Rotimi Sanya. The Chancellor is a Harvard-trained individual, and the Vice Chancellor wouldn’t do anything that is averse. We have Council Members who are very familiar with university culture and passionate about meaningful academic development. I’m not ready to do anything without the council’s approval”.
Professor Arebisala said that measures had been put in place to ensure that the university begins the first academic calendar, while admission of students would start by September 2025.
He explained that work is almost completed on the University’s website and promised that it would be accessible for members of the public as soon as possible, so they can have easy access to relevant information concerning the institution.
“Professor Arebisala said that admission for the first academic calendar will commence on September this year in four different faculties. Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Computer and Information Technology, with courses like Mechatronics, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Cybercrime, Security and Information Technology.
The FUTESI Vice Chancellor also promised that every staff member of the university would be trained in line with the institution’s goals, vision, and President Bola Tinubu’s federal government-led administration plans to make education attractive to every Nigerian, irrespective of culture and geographical location
On the Provisions of necessary facilities and adequate security in the school environment, Professor Arebisala made it clear that measures had been put in place to ensure potable water and sustain stable electricity across the university Community through partnership with various groups, organisations and individuals without relying solely on the electricity distribution company.
He explained further that “We are not partnering after a particular university, we are going to create a university environment where Staff Will be convenient, we don’t want Staff who will be exploiting students for whatever reason, we want hardworking people and results oriented, those who love sharp practices can never have place in FUTESI”.
Professor Arebisala, who commended the efforts of President Bola Tinubu, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ajakaye and other stakeholders in bringing the university to Ekiti, also called for more support in areas of provisions of infrastructural facilities like hostels, transport, classrooms, halls, water and stable electricity in the university environment.
“As a Pioneer Vice Chancellor who is involved in the day- -to-day running of the university education, we thank God that we have this university in Iyin Ekiti and it is very unique that the university is first of it kind in Nigeria, this is the first University of Technology and Environmental Sciences in the country and we are making efforts to move to our permanent site in no distance time”.
“All the facilities that we are using now were donated by the community, and I sincerely appreciate our Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti and the good people of Iyin Ekiti for their sense of hospitality, which has made it easy to commence the academic programme. The Council was inaugurated last week, and we have resumed on Tuesday”.
He said that the university environment would be friendly, promote excellence, organised and do everything to promote integrity, saying that the management would never tolerate anybody or action that could impede the right of students or staff.
