Prof. James Hawkins Ephraim has urged the University Community and other stakeholders to make a resolve in seeking ways to support the University to realise its new vision . The new vision, a reflection of the University’s 5-year strategic plan of the University was the fulcrum of the public lecture delivered by the Professor of Physical-Inorganic Chemistry at the G.M. Afeti Auditorium on Thursday, 4th May 2023.
In his lecture during the the 5th edition of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series, Prof. Ephraim gave a genesis and the metamorphic stages through which the then polytechnics in the country had gone through until its conversion to technical universities in recent past.
He said the development of every society was largely dependent on technical university education compared to education offered by traditional universities, adding that, “in the advanced world, premium is placed on graduates from technical universities due to their key contribution to technical and technological developments, such as manufacturing and essential productions that are central to the backbone of their economy”. Unfortunately, we seem not to appreciate this importance”, he added.
In his address about the University’s new vision, he mentioned that although the institution is old in terms of Polytechnic, it is new as a University and it must therefore satisfy three imperatives-intellectual, economic and social. He said these form the foundation for any resounding institution seeking to impact and impart young generations for the advancement of a nation.
Prof. Ephraim explained that the architecture of effective learning focuses on a practical and applied research faculty with a pedagogy of immersive learning where ” students discover things for themselves in the learning process with lecturers acting as facilitators. This gives room for students to make all the necessary mistakes which must be followed by immediate steps to correcting them”, he stated.
Attitude of stakeholders is Key
Touching on requirements for realising the vision of becoming a hub of practical education and innovation advancing sustainable global development, the Guest Speaker said in every new phase of an ideology, it is critical for renewing one’s mindset in order to align with the collective efforts to achieve a goal.
He iterated the need for Staff to be mindful of attitudes that aim at setbacks and endeavour to bolster themselves to make individual and collective progress.
Referencing The Man in the Arena by Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the U.S.A., Prof. Ephraim admonished Management, Staff and participating stakeholders invited for the lecture to be mindful not to pay heed to critics whose objective is to cast stones that halt progress, divert attention and drain energy, adding that it is the destination and efforts for arriving at the destination that matter.
Essence of Public Lectures
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga in his welcome message and closing remarks expressed his appreciation to the Guest Speaker and entreated participants not to consider public lectures only as a rhetorical academic discourse but view it as opportunities with rich applicable insight.
He indicated that the onus lies on individuals to seize the opportunities such functions bring through the university.
In addition to reiterating the aim of the University’s Lecture Series, he emphasised that the new vision and mission represent a birth of a new dawn that “will bring the University into a more viable and competitive stage as a Technical University that ranks high among it’s peers, globally”
©Directorate of Public Affairs,HTU