Prof. Val Ekechukwu, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka has said that the institution can rank among the world best if more stakeholders collaborate with it in the area of infrastructure development.
Ekechukwu said this at a ceremony to mark the first homecoming of the alumni of the Department of Electronic Engineering of the university on Tuesday in Nsukka.
He described such collaboration as key in promoting academic excellence, especially in the area of research, adding that government could not do it alone.
He lauded the contributions of the alumni of the faculty who, he said, had contributed various facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
He said: “The recent renovation of final year class building, renovation and furnishing of the office of the Head of Department (HOD) and installation of a10-KVA solar panel system is commendable.
“Also, your donation of other teaching aids to the department, among other contributions, portrays this alumni as good ambassadors of the department.
“I commend the alumni for giving back to the department that made them what they are today and urge other alumnae in the faculty to emulate them.
“Some of the world best universities like Oxford University and Harvard University get not less than 80 per cent of their funds to run the school from their alumni.
“To achieve quality education in the country all hands must be on deck because government cannot do it alone.”
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The dean expressed satisfaction with the performance of both staff and students of the Electronic Engineering Department.
He said that the students had been representing the Faculty of Engineering well at both state and national competitions.
“The Electronic Engineering Department is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased, because the department has made the faculty proud in both state and national competitions,” he said.
In his remark, the Head of the department, Dr Chidiebere Udeze, described the homecoming of the alumni as the first since the department was established.
Udeze said that the event was intended to bring alumni members together to enable them to see the areas they would assist students of the the department to compete favourably with their counterparts in other climes.
He cited some of the contributions of other alumnae to the transformation of the department.
He said that the 1998 class recently donated some teaching aids, including digital screen board, renovation and furnishing of the HOD’s office.
“We appreciate their kind gestures to the Alma Mater and can only encourage others to emulate them.
According to him, the department expects more help to enable it to sustain its good performance as attested by the dean of the faculty.
He said that the homecoming would help to create a platform for the alumni to meet yearly and decide on other developments for the department.
The HOD listed some of the needs of the department to include new departmental building, a departmental bus, project vehicle, establishment of modern laboratory and landscaping of the departmental premises. (NAN)
