--> Industry-Universities Cooperation for Sustenance of Technological Development, by Joseph I. Nwachukwu and Olagoke O. Akinrinmade; #90037 (2005)

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Industry-Universities Cooperation for Sustenance of Technological Development

Joseph I. Nwachukwu and Olagoke O. Akinrinmade
Shell Petroleum Development Company, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Universities occupy a strategic place in the survival and development of any nation. The level of social and technological advancement of any nation reflects the level of education of its citizens. As such, it is only prudent for good corporate citizens to support Universities in the Nation's manpower development efforts. The current underfunding of academic programmes in Universities has resulted in brain- drain and its attendant consequences. As such, the time is ripe for sustained corporate intervention.

SPDC has played a leading role in this regard over the years through several schemes, with the understanding that the Company's survival also depends, to a large extent, on quality manpower development. Hence maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with institutions of higher learning in Nigeria is a key necessity.

The Company's pursuit of this started in the early 1950's with the award of scholarships to Nigerians in various institutions of higher learning abroad in an attempt to "grow its own timbers". This early realization has matured over time, spanning over five decades, and presently has several schemes in place for quality manpower, and sustenance of technological development. These include: Endowment of Professorial chairs in Universities; Sabbatical attachments for University lecturers; The Shell Intensive Training Programme (SITP); Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES); Student Internship and Research Attachment; National Youth Service Scheme; Graduate awareness and knowledge sharing visitation to Universities and ad-hoc requests, among others. The mutual rewards are immense, cost-effective and with minimum risk.