Shaping the Future of Education: OAU Unveils Strategic Plan 2025-2050
In a world where higher education faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, is setting a bold course for the future with the unveiling of its Strategic Plan 2025-2050 at a conference recently. The institution is embracing a transformative vision to redefine education, research and community impact over the next quarter century. Funmi Ogundare reports
In a rapidly changing world driven by technological advancements, societal shifts, and global challenges, higher institutions must adapt or risk obsolescence. Recognising this, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, is poised to lead the charge with its ambitious Strategic Plan 2025-2050, a transformative roadmap designed to secure its place as a hub of innovation, excellence and societal impact.
At the heart of this plan is a commitment by the committee inaugurated in August to produce a 25-year plan to map out direction, adapt to changes, optimise resource allocation, attract more funding, ensure sustainability in building on legacies of success and shape a brighter future for the university, to mitigate the current and future challenges.
During the initiative’s official launch at a management conference titled, ‘Envisioning a Great Future: OAU Strategic Plan (2025-2050)’, key stakeholders, including university leaders, academics, and policymakers, outlined a bold vision for reshaping the institution’s future.
The newly inaugurated strategic plan aims to redefine OAU’s engagement with its communities, foster collaborative partnerships, and promote sustainable development. Its core mission emphasises enhancing research output, improving societal impact, and creating mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders. The plan builds on the success of OAU’s previous five-year strategy (2023–2027), but expands its scope to span 25 years, ensuring long-term sustainability.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Adebayo Banire, highlighted the inclusive approach adopted in developing the plan, involving all faculties and departments. He stressed the importance of aligning short and long-term goals to tackle critical issues such as funding gaps, resource allocation, and manpower shortages.
He stated that the new strategic plan would ensure that the university is able to move ahead, make the right decisions and come up with highlights from the various presentations. He expressed concerns about manpower shortages and funding gaps, noting that sufficient resources are critical for students to acquire knowledge and for the university to achieve its research objectives.
In his keynote address, ‘Beyond the Plan: Turning Strategy into Success and Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Execution’, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola, underscored the importance of linking planning with execution, identifying challenges such as inadequate monitoring frameworks, and emphasising the need for annual progress reviews. He expressed concerns about OAU’s declining global rankings and called for concerted efforts to elevate its status.
Okebukola highlighted the importance of securing funding for high-quality research that could elevate the university’s academic standing globally.
He lamented the absence of Nigerian universities in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, citing the lack of Nobel laureates as a key limitation.
“A Nobel Prize winner doesn’t emerge by chance. It requires long-term strategic planning and consistent effort,” he stated, urging OAU to prioritise postgraduate education and research excellence.
Pointing out the absence of effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks at many Nigerian institutions, Okebukola said, “Strategic plans should be assessed annually, with reports presented to the Senate to measure progress. There is a need to involve all stakeholders in your development goals.”
The professor of Science and Computer Education further called on the university to adopt innovative and creative approaches to financial resource mobilisation, given the inadequacy of government funding.
He advised the management to explore revenue-generating programs and activities that could enhance its financial independence and global visibility.
On capacity building, he underscored the importance of equipping staff to translate strategic priorities into actionable plans. He identified challenges such as resistance to change, poor communication, lack of accountability, and resource constraints as obstacles to achieving these goals.
He emphasised the need for change management, accountability measures, and performance monitoring, citing the success stories of global institutions like Cambridge and MIT as models for inspiration.
Prof. Abayomi Daramola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), expressed concern that the university spends over N195 million monthly on electricity and called for urgent investment in alternative energy solutions to mitigate the cost.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, outlined steps to improve OAU’s global rating, including developing an effective website, fostering international partnerships to enhance the university’s profile, and drafting policy papers to guide implementation. He also recommended addressing staff shortages and pursuing innovative projects like an international scholars’ village that could attract funding from TETFund.
He urged all university community members to participate in its new mission by participating in community outreach programmes through research and sustainable development initiatives.
A member of the council, Prof. Adesola Aderounmu appealed for the employment of graduate assistants to bridge the gap left by retiring senior colleagues and implementing a reward system for research contributions.
The role of university bursaries was also a focal point, with experts stressing the need for modernization and strategic financial management.
In their presentations,’ Rethinking Bursary in a 21st Century Nigeria University: Role and Expectations from Bursar/Chief Financial Officer’ and ‘Optimising the Bursary for 21st Century Financial Sustainability and Operational Excellence’, the Director, Budget and Planning, National Open University (NOUN), Bolarinwa Feruke and former Bursar, University of Lagos, Dr. Lateef Odekunle, highlighted the responsibilities of a modern bursar.
These include incorporating environmental, social and governance factors into financial decision-making, managing the financial implications of internalisation such as foreign currency transactions and cross border compliance, and overseeing fundraising efforts and grant applications to secure additional funding for research and academic programmes.
Other issues raised include innovative health and improvement of its health centre, mentorship, humanities, power supply, and setting up a committee on income generation.
Chairman of the Strategic Plan Committee, Joseph Abaagu, said he believes that there will be areas where funds could be generated to drive the university’s lofty ideas.
