The Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), has organised a staff development seminar/workshop to equip its staff with the knowledge and skills needed to improve teaching, research and service delivery at the university.
The workshop, which focused on the theme “Positioning the Department of Geography and Environmental Management for Academic Excellence, Digital Innovation and Service Delivery in the 21st Century,” provided an opportunity for staff to reflect on their professional responsibilities and discuss ways of making the department more effective and responsive to the demands of modern education.
The Head of Department, Dr Augustine Ifejimalu, highlighted the importance of continuous learning and professional development, noting that the changing nature of university education requires lecturers and other staff to continually improve their skills and approaches to their work.
Leading the paper presentation, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Celestine Afiaukwa, spoke on “Aligning with the Vision and Mission of AE-FUNAI and the Faculty: Positioning the Department of Geography and Environmental Management for Academic Excellence, Research Impact and Societal Relevance.”
He called on staff to see their individual contributions as part of the university’s broader vision, stressing that the growth of the department depends on the collective commitment of its members.
Emphasising the need for lecturers to give greater attention to research and ensure that their academic work addresses real-life challenges. Professor Afiaukwa noted that a department’s strength lies not only in classroom teaching but also in its ability to contribute useful knowledge to society.
He called on everyone to work towards making AE-FUNAI a better research based institution through their quality research out-put.
Also in his lecture, titled, “Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness: Best Practices in Lecture Preparation, Delivery, Student Engagement and Lecture Attendance Management, the Director Centre for Educational Services, Professor Sunday Abonyi, said effective teaching begins with proper preparation and requires lecturers to make their classes interesting, interactive and relevant to students’ learning needs.
He encouraged lecturers to pay attention to how they prepare and deliver their lectures, engage students during classes and organise their teaching activities to achieve better learning outcomes.
Dr Charity Nwigwe, Deputy Director of SEVICOM, who spoke on promoting service excellence and ethical conduct in the workplace, reminded participants that the reputation of a university is also shaped by how its staff relate to students, colleagues and members of the public.
She stressed the importance of integrity, professionalism, accountability and respect in the workplace, urging staff to make these values part of their everyday responsibilities.
The workshop highlighted the need for academic and non-academic staff to work together to build a department where quality teaching, meaningful research, professional conduct and effective service delivery receive the attention they deserve.
It also reaffirmed the department’s commitment to continuous staff development as an important part of its efforts to support the overall vision and mission of AE-FUNAI.
