Gown-town relationship, key to Nigeria’s economic growth

A major focus to drive Nigeria’s national socio-economic development propelled by entrepreneurship education, youth empowerment and employment is to foster a workable synergy between the tertiary institutions and the industrial sector – otherwise called ‘gown-town relationship.’

Lecturers and students of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) are seriously pushing this up at their faculty’s annual week activities, stressing that Nigeria’s quest of developing its science, technology and inventions (STIs) would remain a dream, except there is an effective gown and town relationship, where the educational institutions and the industrial sector work in a win-win partnership for economic growth.

This is the major focus of the Faculty of Management Science Students Association FAMSSA Wweek 2015, which kicked off this week.

According to the RSUST FAMSSA president, Igba Emmanuel Kelechi, the aim of the week is to enlighten and educate the students of present-day academic challenges, and the need to harness their potentials as effective and efficient managers.
“The FAMSA 2015 Week is expected to create the awareness within the university community, and the industry on the potentials of the graduands from Faculty of Management Sciences of RSUST,” Igba told BusinessDay in an interview.

He said until the much expected synergy is engaged between tertiary institutions and the industry, there are ample fears that the many policies of the government aimed at reaping the benefits of entrepreneurship education might not succeed, after all.

Igba said the FAMSSA week will also bring industry players to meet with the students, and possibly create opportunities for practical experience and networking on the part of the students.
Activities lined up for this year’s FAMSSA week, he said, include seminars, lectures, talk show, industrial visit as well as visit to charity homes. There would also be an awards and dinner night.
The students week had commenced last week with the finals of the Vice Chancellor’s (VC’s) Cup football competition between the Faculty of Management Sciences and their counterparts from Faculty of Agriculture, with the Faculty of Management students wining the match by 2 – 1.
There was also an intra-faculty football match between the FAMSSA final year and first year students.