…Targets Top 25 Ranking In Nigeria, 50% IGR Growth By 2031
Daud Olatunji
The newly inaugurated Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Prof. Samuel Ekundayo Oladipo, has unveiled an ambitious seven-point development agenda aimed at repositioning the institution as one of Nigeria’s top 25 universities and among the world’s top 3,000 by 2031.
Oladipo, who spoke on Tuesday, during his investiture as the sixth Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the five-year strategic blueprint was designed to consolidate TASFUED’s new status as a Federal University while accelerating growth in academic excellence, research, digital innovation, infrastructure and financial sustainability.
The Vice-Chancellor said the institution, established in 2005 and upgraded to a Federal University in 2025, currently ranks between 55th and 64th in Nigeria and above 6,000 globally, adding that his administration would pursue deliberate reforms to improve its global standing.
“Our vision is to reposition TASFUED among the top 25 universities in Nigeria and the top 3,000 universities globally by 2031 through academic excellence, impactful research, digital innovation, inclusive infrastructure, community relevance and sustainable financing,” he said.
He explained that the agenda, tagged S.T.A.R.-W.I.N, focuses on sustainable funding and smart governance, technology and digital campus, academic excellence and innovation, research productivity and global ranking, staff and student welfare, infrastructural development, and national alumni and international relations.
To strengthen the university’s finances, Oladipo pledged to increase internally generated revenue by at least 50 per cent through the restructuring of commercial ventures, expansion of professional and distance-learning programmes, consultancy services and revitalisation of the university’s trust foundation.
He said his administration would also establish a functional printing press, strengthen project binding services through the university library and aggressively pursue grants, endowments and international student enrolment to diversify revenue sources.
On digital transformation, the Vice-Chancellor promised to digitise administrative processes, deploy smart classrooms, improve campus-wide internet connectivity and strengthen cybersecurity to enhance teaching, learning, research and governance.
He also pledged to sustain the institution’s 100 per cent accreditation record by introducing demand-driven academic programmes, reviewing curricula every three years and expanding partnerships with foreign universities.
To improve TASFUED’s research output and global visibility, Oladipo said a Research Management Office would be established to replace the existing Research Directorate, while policies on intellectual property, patents and commercialisation of research findings would be introduced.
He added that his administration would encourage publications in high-impact journals, increase participation in international conferences and build the capacity of staff to secure national and international research grants.
The Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the institution’s infrastructural challenges, revealing that TASFUED currently has more than 36,000 students but only three undergraduate hostels, six large lecture halls and no accommodation for postgraduate students.
He promised to expand hostel facilities and lecture theatres, modernise classrooms, improve healthcare services, strengthen campus security, upgrade transportation and provide infrastructure that caters for persons with disabilities.
Oladipo also pledged to improve electricity supply, beautify the campus and deepen engagement with alumni, industries, development partners and foreign institutions to boost the university’s international profile.
He expressed confidence that with the support of staff, students, alumni and strategic partners, TASFUED would emerge as a globally respected university recognised for academic excellence, impactful research, innovation and community development by 2031.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Rahamon Adisa Bello, charged Oladipo to prioritise academic excellence, digital transformation, research, infrastructure development and global competitiveness.
Bello described the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment as the outcome of a transparent, merit-based selection process, expressing confidence in his capacity to lead the university through the challenges facing higher education.
He urged the new administration to promote transparency, accountability, industrial harmony and strategic partnerships while attracting external funding and boosting the university’s global visibility.
Bello also called on staff, students and other stakeholders to support the Vice-Chancellor, noting that collective commitment was essential to achieving the institution’s goals.
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