1. www.oauife.edu.ng

2. Developing and Retaining the Next Generation of Academics: The Obafemi Awolowo University Experience Prof. Funmi Togonu-Bickersteth, DVC (Academic), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

3. Outline of Presentation  Introduction  Manifestations of the Challenge of developing and retaining next generation of academics at OAU  Strategies being employed by OAU and lessons learned in the process  Challenges still being faced  Conclusion

4. INTRODUCTION: Obafemi Awolowo University  Founded in 1962  Has thirteen (13) Faculties and two (2) Colleges  Has Ten (10) specialized non-teaching Academic centres  Located on 11,000 hectares of land of which close to 45% is built up  Environmental Harmony – beauty and serenity  Conducive Learning Environment

5. Manifestations of the challenge of “next generation” of Academics at OAU Faculty Graduate Assistant /Assistant Lecturer Lecturer II / Lecturer I Senior LecturerReaderProfessor Administration/Arts /Library 311111- Agriculture1181-1 Education/Social Sciences/Law 67143-- Science5584-2 Pharmacy/Health Sciences 2348--- Environmental Design & Management 208--- Technology312--- Sub-Total23899914 Total351 Table 1: Academic Staff employed in the last five years (2003 – 2008)

7. Professors and Associate Professors in selected Faculties (2002 – 2008) ArtsLawAgricultureScienceTechnology MFMFMFMFMF 2007/200825121194561256 2006/200725121194561256 2005/200622382212493284 2003/200422382212493284 2002/200326360300545335 Table 2

8. UndergraduatePost GraduateLecturers Professors & Associate Professors MFMFMFMF Humanities5116428115791034228527010 Science & Technology 9991480113055814079417218 15,10790822884161563514624228 Total24,1894,499781270 1057 The Current Picture of students and Academic Staff : 2007/2008 Table 3

9. OAU Strategies for Addressing the Challenge  Capacity Building for young academics  Deployment of ICT to teaching activities  Inclusion of Young Academics on University funded research teams  Linkage Opportunities for partnerships with Colleagues in other Universities  Employment of Retired Academics as Supervisors and Mentors  Mobilizing the Diaspora  Establishment of an Advancement Office cultivating friends and mobilizing resources

10. New Horizon  The STEPB World Bank Project  The new Education Tax Fund initiatives.

11. CHALLENGES   Attracting brilliant students into the Post-graduate programme  Slow “ put through rate” of post-graduate programmes  Ensuring young academics return to the university after study abroad  Strengthening research administration imbalance  Addressing the gender imbalance

12. CONCLUSION At OAU, two predominant short term strategies: -  Mitigation of conditions that impede career advancement  Equiping young academics with skills and opportunities that empower them to succeed However, Long term institutional solutions will require leveraging on resources from partners

13. Thank you for your attention !!!