UNN VC challenges corporate organizations to develop education sector

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The Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Prof. Bartho Okolo, has called on corporate organizations to partner with the government in developing tertiary education in the country, stating that funding universities was not an exclusive preserve of the government.
Prof Okolo made the call during the commissioning of Geoscience Workstation and a 30KVA generator, donated to the Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, by Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL).
 The donations were part of the benefits of the university partnership programme facilitated by the NNPC, Shell and EEPNL, designed to boost the quality of Nigerian graduates in the field of oil exploration.
Prof Okolo said that the bane of the education sector was its sole dependence on government funding, and urged other organizations to borrow a leaf from the concern of EEPNL in raising the quality of Nigerian-trained graduates.
“Nigerian education system is not functioning very well because we depend on government for everything. Nowhere in the world is government funding education 100 percent, that is why I am happy that a company like Esso  is waking up to its responsibility”, he said.
The Vice-Chancellor thanked EEPNL for the donations and said that the UNN was collaborating with other institutions across the world to make its products more competitive in the labour market.    
The representative of the EEPNL’s General Manager, Mr. Goodluck Adagbasa, explained that the involvement of EEPNL, NNPC and SHELL in the university partnership programme was to improve the quality of geosciences graduates in Nigeria and give them a favourable fighting chance in the labour market. 
“The donations are meant to  boost the quality of Nigeria geology graduates, as well as give Nigerian students a fighting chance to be able to compete favorably with their  foreign counterparts”, he said.
Mr. Adagbasa, disclosed that his organization had invested about 300 million Naira in the project, including the cost of training three lecturers from the Department of Geology, UNN to operate the Geosciences workroom and guide students in its application. 
He therefore urged the Department to allow students access the Geosciences facility to boost their chances of securing employment with oil exploration companies upon graduation.
 Meanwhile, the Managing Director, Ehimade Limited Consulting, Dr. Daniel Lambert-Akhionbare stressed the importance of field trips to geology students, stating that “Geology is a field Science and as such should be practical oriented”. He implored the university administration to ensure that Geology students are always in the field.
The Head, Department of Geology, Prof. Obianuju Umeji, thanked the EEPNL for assisting the Department and expressed the willingness of her staff and students to put the equipment to effective use.
Olanrewaju Ajala/Inya Agha E.

ERASMUS MUNDUS ACADMIC MOBILITY PROGRAMME ACTION 2 –STRAND1:
2ND COHORT – CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

The above programme funded by European Commission invites application for students scholarship (Masters/Doctorate) and staff mobility (Academic/Administrative). The programme is being implemented by the ANGLE Consortium which comprises 11 (eleven) European Universities, 9 (nine) ACP (African, Carribeans and Pacific) Countries’ Higher Education Institutions and 32 Associate Institutions (including University of Nigeria, Nsukka). Other key briefs about the programme include: the field of study, scholarship conditions and how to apply (see attached). The application is online with November 15, 2013 as deadline.

FIELD OF STUDY FOR STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP
1    Agricultural Sciences   

2    Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning  

3    Arts and Design   

4    Business Studies, Management Sciences   

5    Education, Teacher Training Vocational and Teacher Education   

6    Engineering, Technology   

7    Geography, Geology   

8    Humanities 

9    Languages and Philosophy Sciences

10    Law

11    Mathematics, Informatics

12    Medical Sciences

13    Natural Sciences

14    Social Sciences

15    Communication and Information Sciences 

16    Other Area of Study

SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS
Mobility Flow    Mobility Type    Number of Months    Monthly Amount
ACP>>Europe    Full Master                 10/24               1,000€
Doctorate (mobility)                                10                    1,500€
Academic and administrative staff       1                       2,500€

Journey – round trip
•    Purchased directly be the coordinating institution Health insurance, accidents and journey
•    Purchased directly be the coordinating institution Tuition fees
•    If applicable – fully paid at the host institution

How to apply?
    Check the website http://angle.up.pt
    Consult the University of origin
    Check the eligibility criteria
    Consult the academic offer from partner institution
    Collect all the necessary documents
    Fill the online application form
    Send the application form until the deadline:15th December , 2013 (CET time-zone!)
NB: Study carefully, the guidelines for Applicants 2013/2014 – 2nd cohort.

August 2013-Presesnt: University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus; Dept. of Health Admin & Management
Lecturer
May, 2009- June, 2013:  Pristine Health ltd (Health logistics & Services)   Enugu and Owerri, Nigeria                                                                                             
Director, Projects, and head of Operations
•     Initiated and directed consulting opportunities for various non-governmental and private organisations
•     Consulted for various organisations systems audit
•    Involved in proposal writing consultancies for clients

Feb-Apr, 2009: World Health Organisation, Health System Governance and Service Delivery (HDS) unit, Health systems and Services (HSS) Cluster                                     Geneva, Switzerland
Technical Intern
•    Produced timely reviews and summary reports on ‘availability and characteristics’ mapping of managers in the health workforce in Africa; successfully drafted reports on Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania (with Zanzibar)
•    Managed the ‘Reference manager’ data base and updated with relevant literature on: healthcare systems strengthening; healthcare policy, planning and financing; healthcare governance, e.t.c

Jul, 2008-Jan, 2009: Christian Aid, Northwest Office                      Warrington, UK
Programme Administrative Assistant
•    Planned and convened four successful fund raising events for Darfur-Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo Crises and organized local supporters
•    Contributed planning and strategy advice for and collaborated on several CA northwest projects while serving as member on several project committees

Feb, 2007-Sep, 2007: Julius Memorial Hospitals                                Enugu, Nigeria
General Duty Clinician/Health tutor
•    Provided quality clinical care in this maternal care hospital; involved in Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) practices/programmes, provided care for orphans and vulnerable children; collaborated with evaluators of HIV/AIDS intervention strategies on data collection from the hospital
•    Trained over 30 auxiliary and midwife nurses including development of curricula, preparation of materials, classroom and bedside tutoring


Feb, 2006-Jan, 2007: Government Cottage Hospital, Ogugu.        Kogi State, Nigeria.
Medical Director
•    Maintained oversight of the clinical and administrative decisions and activities in this 9-bed rural government hospital serving a population of about 9,000 people (with two other health facilities) and responsible for its 25 staff; developed quarterly budgets and produced timely facility monthly reports for the Kogi state Health Management board
•    Mobilized and built community support for, and confidence in, the health facility after many years of inactivity and neglect; initiated, coordinated and monitored a series of community development health care projects; mentored community-based health care workers to improve early referral of suspected HIV/AIDS cases in the local community; collaborated with field and community health workers in the development and adaptation of materials and protocols for training hospital health workers
 
Dec, 2004- Feb, 2006: University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital                  Enugu, Nigeria
House physician (medical internship)                                                                  
•    Provided supervised patients’ care and management in rotations in the departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medicine, General surgery, pediatrics and emergency care
•    Participated in the training for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV training programmes sponsored by WHO/ Harvard Initiative and the Federal Government of Nigeria; participated in some commissioned evaluations including a pediatric antiretroviral adherence study; gave presentations at clinical meetings
•   
TRAINING, CONFERENCES & COURSES ATTENDED
August 2011-ongoing    Project Management professional certification                  E-portal course, Christian Aid, UK
Mar, 2009       HIV in the Workplace & Living in a world with HIV and AIDS       Human Resources Mgt
        (One day training seminar)                                                                          WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
Feb, 2009               First Aid Training                                                            Health and Medical services,
      (One day simulations and training course)                                                       WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
May, 2008    Community Health: Delivery, Serving, Engaging, Leading                    Global Health Council,
     (A 4-day international conference)                                                                      Washington D.C, US                                                                                                                                                                  

OTHER RELEVANT SKILLS
COMPUTER: Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, Excel, Power point, and Outlook), Windows Vista & XP and Reference Manager.
DATA ORGANISATION:  Data collection, analysis and management for the purpose of research and statistical inference; critical analysis of research studies
INTERPERSONAL: Excellent communication skills- written and verbal
LANGUAGES: English, Ibo

RESEARCH INTEREST
Healthcare Systems Strengthening,
Health Policy, Planning & Financing,
Health Facility Management,
Operations and Turnaround Management in Healthcare.

coming soon

PUBLICATIONS
Okoli, C.I., Cleary, S.M (2011) Socio-economic status and barriers to the use of free antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS in Enugu State, south-eastern Nigeria.  African Journal of AIDS Research, 10: 2, 149 — 155.
Uzochukwu B.S.C., Onwujekwe O.E., Onoka A.C., Okoli C., Uguru N.P., Chukwuogo, O.I. (2009) Determinants of non-adherence to subsidized anti-retroviral treatment in southeast Nigeria. Health Policy and Planning 24(3):189-196. http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/czp006v1
Onwujekwe O., Onoka C., Uzochukwu B., Okoli C., Obikeze E., Eze S. (2009) Is community-based health insurance an equitable strategy for paying for healthcare? Experiences from southeast Nigeria. Health Policy, 92: 96-102.
Onwujekwe O., Uzochukwu B., Eze S., Obikeze E., Okoli C.,  Ochonma O., (2008) Improving equity in malaria treatment: relationship of socio-economic status with health-seeking as well as with perceptions of ease of using the service of different providers for the treatment of malaria in Nigeria. Malaria Journal. Available at: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/7/1/5
Onwujekwe O., Uzochukwu B., Obikeze E., Okoronkwo I., Ochonma O., Onoka C.,  Madubuko G., Okoli C (2010) Investigating determinants of out-of-pocket spending and strategies for coping with payments for healthcare in southeast Nigeria.  BioMed Central Health Services Research, MS: 2110919046263661.
Onwujekwe O., Uzochukwu B., Dike N., Okoli C., Eze S., Chukwuogo, O (2009) Are there geographic and socio-economic differences in incidence, burden and prevention of malaria? A study in southeast Nigeria. International Journal for Equity in Health,8:45
http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/8/1/45
Onwujekwe O, Okoli C (2010) Editorial: Relevance of the study of health economics in the African context: HEPNet Newsletter- biannual newsletter by the Health Economics and Policy Network in Africa. Available at www.hepnet.info.

Onah  F.E., Okoli C.I (2006) Resource-expenditure gap in local government finance. In: Onah, F.E. ed. Fiscal Federalism in Nigeria. Nigeria: Great AP Express Publishers LTD.

Kalu, E.U., Okoli, C (2006) The new partnership for African development (NEPAD) and economic implication on Nigeria’s economy. In: Onuoha, J.I. ed. Issues in National Development: A multidisciplinary Discourse Vol 1. Nigeria, Prescient Publishers, ISBN-978-075-895-X.

PRESENTATIONS
•    Okoli C and Onwujekwe O (2012) Evidence-based Budgeting for Hospitals. Paper presented at the 26th National Conference/Annual General Meeting held at University College, Ibadan, School of Nursing (Omolade Alade Hall) on 3rd-7th Dec. 2012.
•    Okoli C.I, and Onwujekwe O (2012) Budgeting for Health. Paper presented at the National Executive Council Meeting/Scientific Conference organized by the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Abakaliki at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State on 26-28 January 2012.
•    Okoli C. I., Onwujekwe O., Uzochukwu B, & Obikeze E (2011) Examining community-based health insurance (CBHI) financial risk protection in southeast Nigeria. Paper presented at the 2nd Conference of African Health Economics and Policy Association at Saly Palm Beach Hotel,  Dakar, Senegal on 15-19 March 2011.
•    Okoli, C.I., Dike, N., Onwujekwe, O., Eze, S. & Chukwuka, C. (2007) Subsidized HIV treatment in Nigeria is not pro poor: a case study of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Paper presented at International Health Economics Association (iHEA) 2007 6th World Congress: Explorations in Health Economics, Copenhagen, Denmark. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=992827.
•    Onoka C and Okoli C.I (2007) Country presentation - State of healthcare financing in Nigeria. Paper presented at the workshop on social health insurance organized by the Health Economics and Policy Network in Africa (HEPNet) Cape Town, South Africa, 26 -31 May 2007. Available at www.hepnet.info/theme.html
•     Okoli C.I (2007) Achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. Paper presented at the capacity building for health economics, management and policy workshop for policy makers and other stakeholders in the Anambra State Ministry for Health, Awka, organized by Health Policy Research Group, University of Nigeria, Enugu at Parktonia Hotel, Awka on 8 – 9 March 2007.
•    Agu, C. and Okoli C.I., 2006, “Capital Flight and Political Risk: A Re-Assessment of the Challenges for Economic Growth in Africa” Paper presented at the Conference on “Reducing Poverty and Inequality: How can Africa be included?” hosted by the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), University of Oxford and held at St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom March 2006

COURSES ATTENDED:
•    “An Introduction to Global Health”, 8 weeks online course of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark held on Sept 2 - Oct. 27, 2013.  Awarded “Statement of Accomplishment with Distinction” after the course.
•    A three (3) week Foundation Postgraduate Course in Econometrics organized by the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, Nigeria held on January 27 – February 15, 2002.

CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
•    Workshop on “Responsible Conduct of Research/Grant Writing Workshop” organized by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative, Nigeria (MEPIN), University of Nigeria, Nsukka on 2-3 July, 2012.
•    Workshop on “Resilient and Responsive Health Systems (RESYST)” at Health Economics Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa on March 26-29, 2012.
•    International Conference on National Responses to Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases: Health Economics, Policy and Health Systems Considerations organized by Health Policy Research Group and Health Economics and Policy Network in Africa at Rockview Hotel Abuja, Nigeria on Nov. 29- Dec. 01 2010.
•    Workshop on finalization of instruments and training manual to be used for estimation of the 2006-2009 National Health Account organized by Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with UNFPA , PATH2, UNICEF, WORLD BANK at Rockview Hotel  (Classic) Wuse II Abuja on 20-29 October 2010.
•    Workshop on public expenditure review (PER) in Nigerian health sector organized by Federal Ministry of Health, Department of Health Planning, Research & Statistics in collaboration with World Bank, DfID/PATHS2, WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF at ASA Pyramid Hotel No. 13, Lafia Road,Off Independence Way, Kaduna on 5-8th May 2010.
•    Workshop on the development of an implementation and training manual for national health accounts of Nigeria, organized by PATHS-2, WHO, UNFPA and DFID at Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Club, Rabah Road, Kaduna on 22-28 February 2010.
•    Global Health Initiative Seminar on National Health Insurance held at the University of Cape Town, South Africa on 28 October 2009.
•    Workshop on Provide ACT Consortium Project- “an equity and cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative strategies for the deployment of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) at the community level” organized by Health Policy Research Group, Nigeria in collaboration with London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on 25-27  November, 2008 in Enugu, Nigeria.
•    Workshop on Social Health Insurance in Cape Town, South Africa organized by Health Economics & Policy Network in Africa (HEPNet) on 26-31 May 2007.
•    West African Health Economics Network (WAHEN) workshop on Developing and Sustaining Health Economics and Policy Research, and Training in West Africa, held at Dmatel Hotel and Resort Enugu, Nigeria on 14 – 17 August 2007.
•    National workshop on state-level business environment organized by National Planning Commission and African Institute for Applied Economics at Rockview Hotel Wuse II Abuja on July 6-7 2006.
•    Workshop on 2006 State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS) benchmarking exercise organized by National Planning Commission (NPC), Abuja/Support to Reforming Institutions Programme (SRIP), European Union held on 19 -26 November 2006 at Bolingo Hotel, Abuja.
•    Workshop on “research on financial risk protection” held by the Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems (CREHS) in Cape Town, South Africa on 26–29th September 2006.
•    Inter-Agency National forum on competitiveness and private sector growth:  Promoting Evidence-Based Advocacy and Decision –Making, organized by the African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu in collaboration with the Presidency at Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja, on 1– 2 July 2002.