The Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) Effurun has inaugurated “FUPRE Academia-Industry Advisory Board” with a view to bridging the gap between the institution and the Oil and Gas industry.

The Vice Chancellor of FUPRE, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, inaugurated the board on Friday at the University’s campus in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta.

Rim-Rukeh described members of the board as experts in the oil and gas industry.

The advisory board consist of 17 members drawn from the oil and gas sector.

The vice chancellor while inaugurating the high-profile board said that the initiative would enable the institution to tap from the vast experiences of the board members.

He added that the gesture would help the first Petroleum University in Africa and sixth of its kind in the World to develop manpower that would be readily fit in the oil and gas sector.

According to him, one of the core mandates of FUPRE is to produce graduates that will utilise the oil and gas industry.

“Members of the FURPE Academia-Industry Advisory Board are key players in the oil and gas industry.

“We are producing products that will utilise the oil and gas industry.

“We need to be closer to the experts in the industry so they can tell us what to do to produce graduates that are fit for the oil and gas industry.

“During my first convocation as vice chancellor in 2022, I asked what can we do because we are producing graduates who will work in the Oil and Gas industry and related Allied industries?

“We need to know better so that we can produce graduates who are fits for the purpose.

“As the students graduate, they can go and work directly with the industry without the industry spending more resources on further training.

“We stand to gain from their experiences for the development of FUPRE and to the benefit of the country,” he said.

The vice chancellor noted that the oil and gas multinationals including Shell Petroleum Development Company were winding up operations and living the country with their schools.

He, therefore, said that the challenges now rested on the University to provide the manpower to meet the growing demands in the oil and gas industry.

The vice chancellor reminded the board that the University was established in 2007 and commenced academic activities in 2008 with the College of Sciences adding that the institution now had four colleges.

He, however, thanked the board for accepting the offer which he described as a service to humanity and national development.

Speaking on behalf of the board, Engr. Victor Ohwodiasa, the Delta State Coordinator, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said that the board would work collaboratively with the University.

According to Ohwodiasa, the essence of the initiative is for the boards members to bring their experiences in the industry to bare.

“To see how we can close the gap we have identified and noticed over the years between the industry and the academia.

“The purpose is for us to see how the industry experts, the operators and regulators will work closely with FUPRE to rejig their curriculum to suit the oil and gas industry.

“The issue is that, we want outcome-based education such that will fit for purpose in the oil and gas industry.

“We will work collaboratively with the institution to achieve the purpose and it will be beneficial to both the industry and the University,” Ohwodiasa assured.

Shortly after the inauguration, an inaugural meeting of the board was held with the vice chancellor on the way forward.

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