WORKSHOP ON GOVERNING COUNCILS OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; CONCEPT, ROLES, RELEVANCE AND EXPECTATIONS

DATE: 8^TH – 9^TH DECEMBER, 2022

VENUE: MAIN HALL, OBA (DR) SIKIRU KAYODE ADETONA INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNANCE STUDIES, OLABISI ONABANJO UNIVERSITY, AGO-IWOYE

1. PREAMBLE
   Tertiary education is in crises globally, and Nigeria has its own share of the crises. For Nigeria, the challenges have continued to reflect in the position of Nigeria institution in the global ranking of tertiary institutions. The factors for the state of higher education in Nigeria include dwindling financial allocation to the educational sector, poor facilities for teaching and research, inadequacy of qualified and professional staff, frequent industrial crises between proprietors of public owned institutions and their employees, brain-drain of academics, increasing migration of teeming Nigerian young adults to other countries to pursue higher education, security challenges , undue political interference in affairs of the institutions, strained town-gown relations, leadership tussles, issues of quality assurance bordering on the competencies and employability of graduates as well as research output to mention but few. These have continued to pose challenges to the effective performance of higher institutions.
   The Ogun State Government is one of the few in Nigeria with a high number of tertiary institutions. The Governing Councils of these institutions were inaugurated by the Governor of the State His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun, in August 2022. Although, Governing Councils are not involved in the day-to-day administration of the affairs of the institutions, yet their assigned roles make them pivotal to the effective functioning of the institutions and the fulfillment of their mandates.
   Against the backdrop of the global and Nigeria-wide crises in the higher education sector, this workshop will examine the role expected of Governing Councils in managing tertiary institutions in these difficult times. The workshop will provide a platform for members of Governing Councils of tertiary institutions owned by the Ogun State Government to share experience and acquire appropriate skills, knowledge and innovative strategies to help them strategically navigate the terrain of the institutions they have been appointed to provide leadership for, with a view to achieving the vision of the State government for higher education and the overall development of the state.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP
   The workshop’s objectives include the following:
   i). to identify and examine emerging issues in the governance of Ogun State government-owned tertiary institutions in the context of the global and Nigeria-wide crises in higher education and identify how these issues, challenges and opportunities can be productively better addressed by the institutions Governing Councils.
   ii). To appraise the pivotal role of Governing Councils in providing effective linkages within their institutions and among the institutions, the state Government and the public in the management of tertiary institutions owned by the Ogun State Government;
   iii). To outline the requirements for transformational leadership by Governing Councils of the Ogun State government-owned tertiary educational institutions;
   iv). To identify strategies for effective resource mobilization, utilization and governance in tertiary institutions owned by the Ogun State Government, and
   v). To provide a forum for sharing expertise and experience on mandates for members of Governing Councils of tertiary institutions owned by the Ogun State Government.
3. TARGET GROUP
   Basically, the workshop is designed for members of the Governing Councils of State-owned tertiary institutions in Ogun State. These are Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode; Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta, Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo; Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade; D.S.Adegbenro Polytechnic, Itori Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa; Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese; and Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu.
4. METHODOLOGY
   Delivery will be in two formats. First, there will be a series of interactive lectures by experienced experts followed by discussions. References to cases and examples will play a key role in the lectures. Second, there will be two Roundtables for in-depth exchange of ideas and insights among the Governing Council members. The workshop will run for two days.
   Workshop materials will be supplied before the workshop begins. Lunch and snacks will be provided for participants during the workshop.
5. SUB-THEMES FOR INTERACTIVE LECTURES
   (i) Emerging Issues in the governance of higher education in Ogun State.
   (ii) The Governing Council and linkages within and among tertiary institution, Government and public.
   (iii) Transformational Leadership: Opportunities and challenges within the context of the local and global environment.
   (iv) Resource mobilization, utilization and governance.
6. ROUNDTABLE
   (i) Local and global forces and the challenges of higher education in Ogun State
   (ii) Meeting the aspirations of stakeholders higher education in Ogun State
7. WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
   The workshop shall be facilitated by the Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Institute for Governance Studies, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Resource persons shall be drawn from academics and experts on governance of higher education such as former Chairpersons of Governing Council and former Chief Executives of tertiary institutions.
8. WORKSHOP FEES AND MODE OF PAYMENT
   The sum of N250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand Naira only) per participant payable to:
   (i) Bank Name: Sterling Bank
   (ii) Account Name: Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Institute for Governance Studies
   (iii) Account No: 0082936612