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Onireti tasks UNILORIN Desk Officers on diligence, professionalism

Onireti tasks UNILORIN Desk Officers on diligence, professionalism

The Director, Centre for International Education (CIE), University of Ilorin, Prof. Lateef Onireti Ibraheem, has enjoined the institution’s Desk Officers of various universities and organisations to always approach their responsibilities with diligence, excellence, enlightenment and professionalism.

Prof. Ibraheem gave this advice last Monday (February 5, 2024) while addressing the Desk Officers at the Boardroom of the Centre.

The Director explained that the Desk Officers, who are senior academic staff members of the University, have a lot of roles to play towards helping the University to achieve its corporate objectives and particularly the Vision 1:10:500 of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN.

Prof. Ibraheem explained that the responsibilities of the Desk Officers are pivotal in the efforts geared towards the internationalisation of the University.

The Director pointed out that the concerned officers also have a critical role to play in the academic growth of the University and ensuring the diffusion of cultural heritage as well as positive Collaborations.

Prof. Ibraheem, who teaches at the Department of Arabic, said that Desk Officers are the ambassadors of the University and that they must, therefore, discharge their duties diligently and professionally in order to represent the University effectively.

He added that the Desk Officers are also the custodians of the various Memoranda of Understanding signed between the University and other universities and organisations.

Prof. Ibraheem, who is also the Mufti of Ojokuland in the Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, encouraged the Desk Officers to check the websites of the designated universities and organisations for them to explore all the areas that would be of advantage to the staff and students of the University of Ilorin.

In her contributions,the Deputy Director of CIE, Dr Olouwabunmi Lucy Niyi-Gafar charged the Desk Officers to adhere strictly to the regulations and essence of the collaborations between the University of Ilorin and their designated universities and organisations.

Dr Niyi-Gafar, who is a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, noted that the Desk Officers must also be meticulous to ensure that the MoU they would be signing on behalf of the University should be legally safe and truly beneficial to the institution before endorsing such.

On his part, the Assistant Director of  the Centre, Dr Zubair, who traced the history of the CIE, explained that since the establishment of the Centre in 2009, it has facilitated a lot of progress to the University.

He pointed out that the Centre has attracted some projects and expatriate staff and foreign students to various academic Departments, which contributed to the international fame and recognition as well as positive rating of the University over the years.

Dr AbdulHakeem Zubair, who is a lecturer at the institution’s Department of Arabic, added that the University has signed no fewer than 150 Memoranda of Understanding with similar institutions across the five continents of the world.

While he noted that some of the Memoranda of Understanding are active, a number of them are dormant. He, therefore, urged those in- charge of the various desks to ensure that every effort is made to ensure the reactivation of the dead MoUs and survival of the existing ones.

Dr Zubair added that the University has functional collaborations with the International Association of Universities (IAU), the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), as well as Ku8, and U6+, among other international  collaborations.

Also commenting, Dr Azubike  Onuora-Oguno an Associate Professor at the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, University of Ilorin, who is also a Desk Officer, encouraged his colleagues to always be ready to invest in their career progression for them to achieve their goals.

He explained that Desk Officers needed to ensure that they sacrifice their times and energy as well as resources to ensure that the Memoranda of Understanding under their care do not die.

He also said that it was important for the University authorities to give academic staff members of the University latitude to do the Centre’s assignment, saying that they stand to gain a lot from the responsibilities if well achieved.

The meeting attracted about 30 Desk Officers from various Departments and Faculties, including the Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdullahi Baba Alafara.