The Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, University of Lagos says it is set to launch its online Entrepreneurship Education platform for its 57,000 students.
The centre’s Director, an Associate Professor, Sunday Adebisi, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos that the platform would grant 24 hours direct access to the students everyday.
Adebisi was reacting to the recent ranking of the university as the third best most productive school in Entrepreneurship Education in Africa by Forbes.
Forbes is a global media company, focussing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and lifestyle.
Adebisi stated that the country currently have a population of between 15 and 35 that comprises about 70 per cent of the entire population, who are supposed to be in active production.
He said: “So, that is what this university believes in, and that is why we are very strong in promoting entrepreneurship education, just like the institution’s Business School (ULBS).
“The university’s entrepreneurship education platform is coming on board before the end of the year.
“We are expecting that by the time they do the next ranking, we are likely going to be number one in Africa.
“The reason being that we are now going to give direct entrepreneurship education access to the 57,000 students across board, which include both the undergraduates, the Postgraduates, every year and every hour.
“Besides that, we are going to start talents hunting for enterprise creation.
“That is whereby every of our students, be it undergraduate or postgraduate, that can create enterprise on campus, which we call Campus Startups, is going to be supported by management and will be launched.
“We are also going to get companies to infuse money into such startups.”
According to Adebisi, entrepreneurship today is almost everything because citizens are now in a nation that needs to be extremely productive, with everyone being into production to be able to be self-sustaining.
He noted that entrepreneurship was the only thing that could give everyone the opportunity to be able to be creative and innovative.
“All on their own, using their own ideas for profitable ventures, without necessarily hunting for jobs,” the Director said.
He said in a bid to further promote entrepreneurship drive among students, the university had also made it compulsory in all the units of the business school, be it Executive MBA in Human Resources, Finance and others.
Adebisi said the most important thing was that entrepreneurship remained key, as a general course, adding that this had been the focal point of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
He said the vice-chancellor had always insisted that the key thing the institution must be known for was entrepreneurship development.
Further on the recent ranking of the university, Adebisi described the development as one of the best things to have ever happened to the institution.
He said: “As we speak now, we have been ranked the third best entrepreneurship oriented university in Africa.
“And this is the first time any Nigeria university will be so ranked by Forbes, in this kind of category.
“So, that is to tell you that what UNILAG is now known for today is that any graduating student from the institution is to earn two things: a degree and at the same time extreme knowledge in entrepreneurship.
“Such graduate is also likely to have an opportunity of creating his or her own enterprise before leaving the university.
“So, today we are the third best in the entire Africa, and this is what has been the drive by the management of the institution.
“What is core to us is entrepreneurship ever since the Prof. Ogundipe-led management came on board two and half years ago.
“We really want to salute all those who made the ranking possible, the students, staff and the entire management.”
The Director said with the planned launch of the online entrepreneurship education platform, the institution would soon get to its much desired height, not just in the Africa, but the world at large.
NAN.