By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) says the five-day leadership course scheduled to hold in Istanbul, Turkey, is to build the capacity of women in academics and higher education leadership.

The Secretary General of the Committee, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, in Abuja on Thursday, dismissed the speculations that the programme was for wives of vice chancellors only.

Ochefu said that the invitation, for the programme scheduled to hold between July 18 and July 23, to the spouses of Vice Chancellors of Universities in Nigeria was not peculiar to them as speculated in some quarters.

He said it was an invitation to all women in the higher education leadership positions saying such was not new in the system

He added that the programme which was in collaboration with the WIN institute for Gender Studies was a fellowship induction for spouses of Vice Chancellors in Africa as well as women in academics and higher education on the continent.

Ochefu said the programme was not specifically targeted at wives of vice chancellors of Nigerian Universities but creates opportunity of engagement and capacity building for all the women in academic leadership positions in Nigeria and across the African continent.

He further said that the event had been included on the calendar of the CVC since December 2021, hence, was not a new event to the Nigerian University System.

“We have several items on the calendar of the CVC and we had this very fellowship programme for women in academics and the higher education inclusive on our agenda for the year.

“It is a calendar circle that comprises of what we will be doing for the year hence it was not as if the CVC is not sensitive to the current happenings in the public universities in Nigeria.

The events are sequence to take place in specific technological order,” he said.

Ochefu therefore emphasised that the committee had members who were female Vice Chancellors and other women who were holding strategic positions in the universities hence the need for them to deepen their understanding of leadership and management.

The CVC Sec. Gen. further said that the committee had been playing major role in ensuring that the ongoing strike in public universities end.

He stressed that the CVC had been meditating between the Federal Government and the Leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to make peace and facilitate compromise.

“The work the CVC has been doing to mediate between the Federal Government and ASUU is not in the social media because we are not blowing our trumpets, the CVC is one of the advisory members on the committee of negotiation.

“The leadership of the CVC met with negotiating team recently, we also meet with the government representatives and we have also been speaking up on the need for massive investment in University education.

“The Pro chancellors are also serving on several teams of negotiation between the FG/ASUU,” he said. (NAN)

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