Education: Unilorin partner Canada on workshop

The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) Centre for Open and Distance Learning, on Monday partnered with the Commonwealth of Learning, Vancouver, Canada, to organise a two-day workshop on Open Educational Resources (OER).

Prof. Wahab Egbewole, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, explained at the workshop that the goal of the programme is to develop and enhance materials to ensure that they are accessible and of high quality.

The vcce chancellor, who was represented by Prof. Suleiman Ambali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), said that the first phase of the workshop, which took place in January, recorded tremendous and significant impact.

He said that its policies were approved after going through scrutiny, but there was still much work to be done, hence the need for the second phase of the workshop.

Egbewole undeerscored the need to “continually refine and improve our resources and tackle some of the key challenges”.

He tasked the delegates to actively participate, expressing confidence that participants will all make significant progress towards the institution’s smart goals as the best university in the country.

Egbewole expressed gratitude of Unilorin management to the organisers who have worked tirelessly to make the workshop a reality as a great deal of time and hard work must have gone into this process

Earlier, Prof. Bashir Omipidan, the Director of the Centre for Open and Distance Learning, Unilorin (CODL), disclosed that the OER of the university has been fully approved for use.

Omipidan, who is also a Professor of International Law and Medical Ethics, added that the second phase wouldm see how the centre could leverage on what has been done, so that there can be improvement, and made available to the public.

The director added that no CODL can thrive without the support of the vice chancellor, and appreciated the university management for always supporting the smooth running of the centre despite the institution’s struggle to raise IGR.

He assured that all the money spent on the centre would not amount to wastage, but rather the institution would soon start to milk from the proceeds of the centre.

The Chief Facilitator of the workshop, Prof. Francis Egbokhare, classified Unilorin as a serious university, saying that there is always a high level of organisation in the institution.

He also noted the high level of order and leadership in the university where people follow their leaders and cooperate with them.

Egbokhare explained that the workshop would review existing policies, improve on it and make them available to the public space for others to access and also improve upon.

He appreciated Unilorin for hosting the workshop and assured the institution that the centre would be a major source of internal revenue earner in the nearest future.