Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has harped on the need for Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) to re-invent and re-commit to its founding objective to engender development and transform the financial standing of the institution as a citadel of knowledge founded to drive global science and technology projects.
Governor Ugwuanyi pointed out that the founding objective of ESUT which appeared realizable at the early stages of the university’s existence, when it earned accolades for fabrication of motor pistons, mace, computer panels and solar panels, seemed relegated subsequently.
Speaking at the 18th convocation ceremony of the university, yesterday, Governor Ugwuanyi stated that in view of the alarming disparity in the cost of university education between public and private universities, inadequacy of the government funding of public universities, and other challenges, the public universities that would survive and remain competitive are those that strategically explore and leverage alternative funding opportunities through research grants and earnings as well as economically rewarding projects and partnerships.
The governor, therefore, advised that “ESUT, being a science and technology university should deploy her intellectual resource to fuel research and creativity and ultimately drive innovation of products and services,” stating that this would attract huge income through patents and royalties to the university and complement government funding.”
Stressing that the power of technology and its propensity for revenue earning are phenomenal, Ugwuanyi maintained that for ESUT to achieve the founding objective, the university curriculum must be functional and tailored to the true societal needs, assuring the institution of the support of the state government in this paradigm shift through enabling policy and legal frameworks.
He said further: “This event is also an occasion to remind the leadership of ESUT that the world, including Nigeria, is going through one of the most difficult economic eras. This, in concomitance with the rising cost of education, has put the funding of universities in jeopardy.
“Furthermore, the capacity of parents/guardians to respond to the ever-increasing need for fees hike in public universities as well as the ability of government to continue to increase grants and subventions to public universities have also become inelastic.
The governor hailed the new management of ESUT under the leadership of Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okoli for rekindling hope, and for breaking the five-year jinx of convocation in the institution “by today’s event, the last ESUT convocation being in the year 2016.”