Prof. Ayodeji Olawunmi Badejo, the 10th substantive Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), has initiated a 100-day consultation drive across the university's campuses. This move aims to foster an open-door policy and drive a new eight-pillar strategic agenda. The consultation will cover faculties, schools, centres, institutes, and directorates at LASU's Ojo, Epe, Ikeja, and Badagry campuses. The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that this engagement is crucial for ensuring that members of the university community have a voice in shaping and implementing her administration's priorities.
The eight-pillar agenda outlined by Vice-Chancellor Badejo focuses on several key areas, including academic excellence and quality assurance, research, innovation and global visibility, financial sustainability and resource mobilisation, infrastructure and digital transformation, staff welfare and industrial harmony, student welfare, mentorship and employability, governance, integrity and institutional visibility, and community engagement and societal impact. This comprehensive approach aims to position LASU as a globally competitive, locally relevant, and future-ready university.
During her address to the Committee of Provosts, Deans and Directors (COPDD) at the Senate Chamber, Vice-Chancellor Badejo charged members to champion her administration's priorities in their respective units. She described COPDD as the university's most strategic academic leadership committee after the Senate. The Vice-Chancellor also announced plans to pursue full accreditation for all programmes while making curricula more relevant to contemporary needs, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Vice-Chancellor Badejo's administration aims to strengthen solution-driven research and expand international research partnerships to improve LASU's global visibility and ranking profile. The university plans to explore grants, endowments, consultancy services, and strategic partnerships to diversify its income and improve financial sustainability. Additionally, the Vice-Chancellor announced plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools in teaching and administration across the university's campuses.
The Vice-Chancellor set a one-year target to establish at least one smart classroom in every faculty, highlighting her commitment to digital transformation. Staff development and welfare will also form a component of her agenda, with plans for merit-based capacity building, inclusive dialogue with unions, and measures to sustain industrial harmony. For students, mentorship, employability, and mental health support have been identified as key areas requiring greater institutional attention.
Vice-Chancellor Badejo urged COPDD members to embrace inclusive leadership and an open-door approach, stressing that her administration's vision could be achieved only through collective responsibility. The 100-day consultation drive will provide an opportunity for the Vice-Chancellor to listen to concerns, identify institutional priorities, and build broad ownership of the strategic agenda. This initiative aligns with her pledge to ensure inclusive governance and strengthen the university's relationship with its host communities and wider society.
The ultimate goal of Vice-Chancellor Badejo's administration is to position LASU as a globally competitive, locally relevant, and future-ready university. By engaging with the university community and implementing her strategic agenda, she aims to drive positive change and improvement across various aspects of the institution. The Vice-Chancellor's efforts to strengthen governance, integrity, and institutional visibility are expected to have a lasting impact on LASU's growth and development.
Key points
- Vice-Chancellor Badejo's 100-day consultation drive aims to engage the university community in her administration's priorities and strategic agenda.
- The eight-pillar agenda focuses on areas such as academic excellence, research, innovation, and digital transformation.
- The Vice-Chancellor aims to position LASU as a globally competitive, locally relevant, and future-ready university.
