The Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun, has inaugurated FUPRE Academia-Industry Advisory Board with a view to bridging the gap between the institution and the oil and gas industry.
The Vice Chancellor of FUPRE, Professor Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, inaugurated the board on Friday at the University’s campus in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
The advisory board consists of 17 members drawn from the oil and gas sector.
Rim-Rukeh, while inaugurating the board, said the initiative will enable the institution to tap from the experiences of the board members.
The vice chancellor added that the gesture will help the first Petroleum University in Africa and sixth in the world to develop manpower who can readily fit into the oil and gas sector, describing members of the board as experts in the industry.
According to him, one of the core mandates of FUPRE is to produce graduates that will utilise the oil and gas industry.
“Members of the FURPE Academia-Industry Advisory Board are key players in the oil and gas industry. We are producing products that will utilise the oil and gas industry.
“We need to be closer to the experts in the industry so they can tell us what to do to produce graduates that are fit for the oil and gas industry.
“During my first convocation as vice chancellor in 2022, I asked what can we do? Because we are producing graduates who will work in the oil and gas industry and related allied industries.
“We need to know better so that we can produce graduates who are fits for the purpose.
“As the students graduate, they can go and work directly with the industry without the industry spending more resources on further training.
“We stand to gain from their experiences for the development of FUPRE and to the benefit of the country,” he said.
The vice chancellor noted that the oil and gas multinationals, including Shell Petroleum Development Company, were winding up operations and living the country with their schools.
He, therefore, said that the challenges now rested on the university to provide the manpower to meet the growing demands in the oil and gas industry
The vice chancellor reminded the board that the university was established in 2007 and commenced activities in 2008 with the College of Sciences, adding that the institution now had four colleges.
Speaking on behalf of the board, the Delta Coordinator, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Victor Ohwodiasa said the board will work in collaboration with the university.
According to Ohwodiasa, the essence of the initiative is for the board members to bring their experiences in the industry to bear.
Shortly after the inauguration, an inaugural meeting of the board was held with the vice chancellor on the way forward.
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