The Lagos State University, in a bid to enhance the quality and depth of her teaching staff, on Thursday, 16th September 2021 began the process of institutionalising mentorship among Academics in the University with the organisation of a 1-Day Sensitisation Workshop.
The Workshop tagged ‘Institutionalisation of Mentorship Programme for Academic Staff’ had as speakers three eminent Professors in the University- Prof. Dapo Asaju, a former Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University; Distinguished Prof. Martin Anetekhai, a Professor of Fisheries and Director, Directorate of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, and Professor Abiodun Adewuya, Acting Provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).
The eminent Speakers, included Adewuya, along with Prof. Dapo Asaju, Former Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU) and Distinguished Professor Martin Anetekhai, Director, Directorate of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition
On his part, Asaju, who spoke on “Mentorship & Leadership: The Ethos of Academic Profession and Sustaining Mentorship Relationship” said that an academic is only as successful as the level of mentorship he or she received, thus underscoring the importance of mentorship in the University.
He defined mentorship as “the ability to push your students to the maximum in order to achieve their potentials, behave properly in the society, and exercise leadership, amongst others.”
The Professor of Theology in the Department of Religions, Faculty of Arts of the University noted that the component part of the Academic profession.
Adewuya’s focused on how mentees the Teacher, the Researchers, and the Professional Librarians – all have in built systems and traditions for mentoring junior colleagues as well as students at all levels, urging Academics to make mentoring a core part of the service in the University.
“The Academic profession makes room for mentorship and maturity. The Degrees, Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctorates show levels of development. At each stage, assessment and recommendations are required from mentors and supervisors”, he added that “University Education is not just instructions but the development of individual students’ capabilities. Teachers are to bring out these qualities.”
The programme is the brain child of the DVC, Academic, Prof. Wahab Elias.
The second speaker, Anetekhai, submitted that institutionalising mentorship was an indication that the University is willing to take the right steps to deliver the best quality.
In his lecture titled ‘Mentoring Cycle: Selecting a mentor, Developing a Mentorship Plan and Identifying the Purpose of Mentorship’, the Professor of Fisheries and Aquatic Biology, listed Lecturers/Professors, Doctors, Engineers, Administrators and Journalists, amongst others, as products of mentoring in the Lagos State University.
He quoted Matthew Reeves as saying that the purpose of mentorship is to “tap into existing knowledge, skills and experience of senior or high performing employees and transfer these skills to newer or less experienced employees in order to advance their careers.” He insisted that mentorship is not only beneficial to the University, it is beneficial to both the mentor and the mentees.
He identified the benefits of mentorship to LASU as “uplift skills in teaching, research and service, boosts staff morale/job satisfaction, cost effective (Hands on training), tools for succession planning, efficient management team and ranking amongst others.
For mentors, endorsement of leadership skills, recognition as advisors, growth in profile and job satisfaction and awareness of own weaknesses are some benefits of mentorship just as enhancement of skills development, networking opportunities, potential for promotion and problem solving are benefits to the mentee.
The third and final speaker was multiple research grants winner and Acting Provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Prof. Abiodun Adewuya who spoke on the ‘Principles and Practices of Good Mentoring Programme: Grant Writing and Winning.’
He said that since research was one of the three-fold duty of an Academic, it is important for young researchers to carefully choose their research mentors to enable them go far. He identified the role of the Research Mentor as someone who assists the mentee in finding the gap to be filled, provides a managed environment, support research effort, provide broader intellectual support, facilitate writing support and closure and provide personal support.
He therefore urged young and developing Academics to look out for factors such as availability, knowledge and attitude when choosing a mentor. He stated that the mentor-mentee relationship must be one with mutual respect, and autonomy-driven, noting that such a relationship should be “structured without a straight jacket, one where communication and negotiation is open, where intellectual and systematic support are provided and where both are empowered.”
Finally, he advised the mentees to carefully choose their mentors, and carefully manage their relationships with them.
While rounding off the programme, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Wahab Elias, remarked that “brilliance is not enough to get to the peak of one’s career. Mentorship is needed.” He revealed that the programme will be faculty-driven with each faculty expected to organise her mentorship programmes regularly.
The programme, organised by the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, was a hybrid (physical and virtual) programme that attracted an impressive number of senior and junior academics across the three major campuses of the University.
Other members of the University Management were also present at the event.
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