The Rector of Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Prof. Austin Nweze, has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his administration’s recent collaboration with the Dublin City University, Ireland, which has placed the polytechnic on the world’s academic map.
The governor had in February last year led an economic mission to Dublin to explore various investment spheres during which his administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Irish university for purposes of effecting collaborative academic engagements between the institution and Enugu state-owned tertiary institutions.
Speaking on the gains of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Enugu State Government and the Dublin City University, Prof. Nweze said the academic collaboration would allow for cross-fertilization of academic ideas between the institutions, adding that both the students and staff of both institutions are now free to move into the schools for academic engagements.
“We have to thank our governor for providing the connection to Dublin City University for us. This academic collaboration is what polytechnics and universities around the world should be talking about, and it is better when it is done internationally.
“The name of the institutions involved would be in the world’s academic map. For instance, IMT is now in the world academic map following that collaboration.
“That arrangement would benefit us because some of our staff and students would go to Dublin University and theirs would also come here for exchange of ideas and academic programmes. Any student who completes his programme here can go to Dublin for his post-graduate programmes” he said.
The rector was speaking with Enugu Government House press crew during which he reviewed various policy moves of the administration of Governor Ugwuanyi that currently offer succor to the polytechnic.
Commenting on the move by the state government to make IMT a degree awarding institution, the Rector said it is another laudable effort by the governor which according to him has been approved by the state House of Assembly for aggressive academic transformation in the state.
He further explained that for that academic feat to be achieved, the institution has to become a degree-awarding university, adding that the National Universities Commission (NUC), a body regulating the universities in the country, has to give a licence.
He stated that in the interim, the management of the institution has applied to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), seeking for affiliation so that it can be awarding the degrees of UNN for the time being pending when IMT will get its licence from NUC to start degree programmes.
Prof. Nweze said making the institution a degree-awarding university would boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the school as the academic status would attract many prospective students.
“We are very hopeful that very soon, UNN will give us the licence/approval to run their programmes under affiliation arrangement and subsequently, IMT would start awarding degrees on its own.
“IGR is very fundamental in whatever you are doing. We don’t have so many students because they don’t like diploma programmes, but if we can start awarding degrees, we are going to have so many students and you know, it is a game of number, the more the students, the more the IGR and the more buoyant the institution” he explained.
He equally commended the state governor for the monthly subventions which he continues to avail to the institution despite the biting economic recession in the country, assuring that his regime would restore the academic excellence in both the staff and students of the institution.
