The University of Ilorin has secured a grant of about $1.5 million (N1,135,320,000) from Aspen Tech Inc, a United States of America-based company, to enable it to expand its oil and gas-related training and research.
The institution, which announced this in its Bulletin on Monday, said the grant was given to its Department of Geophysics.
It said this was in appreciation of the university’s increasing service delivery capacities.
Speaking on the development, Dr. Saminu Olatunji, the Acting Head of the Department, said the grant would greatly assist them, adding that its graduates stood a better chance of employment.
He explained that the grant would also increase its chances during National Universities Commission and professional accreditations, as well as help to attract funds and grants to the university from other supporting agencies.
Olatunji said: “The grant will also encourage the listing of the University and its publications on the AspenTech portal, which is accessible to all the oil companies across the world.
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“This would attract the attention of personnel from oil and gas companies to come to the institution for various postgraduate programmes.”
Olatunji added that the publications from the research team would place the institution on the global scene and stimulate the engagement of the department in consultancy services that would boost Unilorin’s IGR, among other benefits.
Prof. Wahab Egbewole, the university’s Vice Chancellor, described the grant as a welcome development, saying it signposted the institution’s increasing relevance at the global level.
Egbewole, who spoke through the university’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Kunle Akogun, congratulated the Department of Geophysics, particularly its Head, for winning the grant for the institution.
The vice-chancellor encouraged other departments and staff members of the university to work harder towards earning more grants for the institution.
He stated that his administration would continue to offer necessary assistance for them to achieve their maximum potential.
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