The Director, Directorate of Advancement and Linkages (DA&L), Prof. Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, has led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the newly-appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research (TIR), Prof. Christine Ofulue, to officially congratulate her on the appointment and seek her support for the directorate’s activities.
During the visit, Prof. Ofulue reflected on the evolution of the directorate, and recalled that the DAL was formerly merged with the Directorate of Research Administration before it became a standalone unit.
According to her, the separation was necessitated by the broad scope of advancement, which extends beyond research to include alumni relations, linkages, and partnerships.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor emphasised the need for the directorate to strengthen its marketing strategies by engaging experts who can enhance the university’s visibility through robust content and storytelling.
She encouraged the director to collaborate with marketing experts to develop a comprehensive strategy paper that would drive the university’s marketing and visibility efforts, highlighting the importance of endowment chairs to strengthen Open and Distance Learning (ODL).
Ofulue underscored the importance of projecting the achievements of NOUN’s alumni to showcase the quality of the university’s graduates and dispel misconceptions about the institution’s academic standard.
The DVC further advised that the director should identify and engage prominent alumni, including elderly graduates, traditional rulers, and celebrities, to consolidate on the achievements of her predecessor.
While noting that such engagements could foster stronger relationships and help generate funds for the university, she also suggested that the directorate could explore personalised initiatives such as automated birthday messages to sustain goodwill among alumni and partners.
In her response, the Director, Directorate of Advancement and Linkages, Prof. Adesina-Uthman expressed appreciation to the DVC for her remarks and assured her of the directorate’s commitment to advancing the university’s goals.
She noted that the DA&L has already embarked on a series of engagements with institutions and partners to strengthen collaborations.
Prof. Adesina-Uthman disclosed that the Vice-Chancellor has approved the design of a donation button on the university’s website to support endowment and development initiatives.
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