The Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Katsina State, has trained about 200 newly converted academic staff in teaching skills, research, mentorship, examination supervision and professional ethics to prepare them for effective service in their new roles.
The one-day capacity-building workshop was organised for staff recently converted from non-teaching to teaching positions as part of the university’s efforts to strengthen academic delivery and professional standards.
Declaring the workshop open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Khalid Othman, congratulated the participants on their transition to the academic cadre and emphasised the importance of equipping them with the knowledge and skills required to discharge their new responsibilities effectively.
Othman said the training was designed to familiarise the newly converted lecturers with the knowledge, skills and ethical standards necessary for professional excellence.
He described universities as institutions that prepare people for leadership and various careers while examining societal problems and developing solutions to them.
The Vice-Chancellor urged the Directorate of Academic Planning and Monitoring to organise similar workshops regularly, noting that continuous training and retraining were essential for effective service delivery.
He also advised participants to pay close attention to the presentations and apply the lessons to their personal development and the advancement of FUDMA.
Earlier, the Director of Academic Planning and Monitoring, Professor Daud Mustafa, described the workshop as the first of its kind at the university, providing an opportunity to acquaint the newly converted academic staff with the fundamental skills required for effective teaching.
Mustafa said becoming an academic involved more than classroom teaching, as lecturers were also expected to contribute to innovative research, community service, mentorship, student development and institutional growth.
In a presentation titled “Ethics on Lesson Delivery in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions: Newly Recruited Academic Staff Orientation,” the Director of Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Aminu Dalhat Kankia, stressed the importance of ethical conduct in university teaching.
Kankia said effective lesson delivery required lecturers to combine subject knowledge and pedagogical competence with integrity, fairness, respect, accountability and reflective practice.
He explained that lecturers must recognise how classroom conduct shapes students’ academic experiences, professional values and character, ultimately influencing the quality of graduates produced.
He identified lesson delivery as a process involving preparation, presentation of content, classroom interaction, questioning, discussion, the use of instructional resources, student participation, continuous assessment, feedback and evaluation.
In another presentation on mentor-mentee relationships in the Nigerian university system, Professor Hassan Ishaq Ibrahim of the Agricultural Economics Department said academic success required teaching, research, publication, supervision, community service and academic leadership.
He described mentorship as an important means of accelerating the transition of newly appointed academics into their profession, enabling them to develop their skills and achieve greater success.
Ibrahim explained that mentors guide, advise and coach mentees, share experiences, provide feedback and create opportunities for professional growth, while mentees are expected to take initiative, seek guidance, learn continuously and accept constructive criticism.
On examination supervision, Professor Martins Iyoboyi of the Department of Economics and Development Studies described invigilation as an important quality-assurance mechanism in educational institutions.
He said invigilators were responsible for ensuring that examinations complied with institutional regulations and that the integrity of the process was protected.
Iyoboyi warned that examination irregularities and poor invigilation could undermine academic integrity and damage the credibility of institutions.
Similarly, Dr Sabitu Abubakar, also of the Department of Economics and Development Studies, spoke on “From Conversion to Academic Excellence: Building a Successful Career as a University Academic.”
He told participants that their conversion to the academic cadre was an important milestone but only the beginning of a new set of professional responsibilities.
According to him, academics are expected not only to apply existing knowledge but also to teach, investigate, generate and disseminate knowledge.
He urged the participants to commit themselves to continuous learning, teaching, research, publication, collaboration, mentorship and the promotion of academic integrity.
In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Director of Academic Planning and Monitoring, Dr Segun Adeola, appreciated the university management for supporting the workshop and commended the resource persons for sharing their experiences and practical guidance with the participants.
