Tertiary institution heads, deans build capacities
Thirty-three deans and heads of departments (HODs) of selected private and public tertiary institutions have attended a three-day capacity-building workshop to equip them with the needed skills to enhance operations in their respective institutions.
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The workshop, designated as a Senior Academic Leadership Training (SALT), which constitutes the first phase of similar ones that would be held by the close of the year and during next year, helped to build the skills of participants to enhance their efficiency.
Areas of studies
Expected to train some 240 deans, HODs and university counsellors, the SALT would treat topics related to leadership and management, how to strengthen postgraduate studies, roles and responsibilities of HODs, and issues affecting students and lecturers.
It also would identify the gaps in their operations and fashion the ways to resolve them.
The training was put together by the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the Carnegie Corporation of New York and resource persons were drawn from various institutions, including those in academia and industry, to make presentations on the various topics.
Roles of HODs critical
Briefing the media at the end of the session, the Director of the SALT Project, Dr Paul Effah, said there was the need for leaders of tertiary institutions to go through constant training to equip them with the relevant knowledge about their fields.
He noted that the roles of leaders such as HODs in tertiary institutions were critical “and cannot be overlooked”.
“The HOD’s job is the critical or hardest part of any university and it ensures the general development of the institution,” he observed, stressing that about 80 per cent of their work was performed at the departments.
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Be responsive
Earlier in one of the sessions, Dr Effah told the participants to pay attention to the concerns and specific needs of students and lecturers, noting that leaders ought to be responsive to the needs of their subordinates.
He also asked them to adopt relevant skills to enhance their work, saying, “It is the responsibility of leaders to assess, support and encourage their staff to always do more for the success of their institutions.”
“You must also train and groom competent people to take over from you and do not block those who can do the job,” he said.
Dr Effah also admonished them to appreciate the good work done by their staff, including lecturers.