The team recently set up by the FUTO Management led by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof. Francis C. Eze to come up with an acceptable implementation policy on the newly approved Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement, Environment and Social Standards (CE-sPESS) had another physical meeting on 28th July 2020 on the University campus to discuss issues bordering on the awaited implementation of the operational policies of the new Centre.

The prime vision of the programme is to be a world-class Centre for training and development of highly skilled human capital in the areas of Procurement, Environmental Standards as well as Social Standards.

Its mission is to offer academic and professional programmes leading to the award of certificates, diplomas, first degrees, and postgraduate degrees in Procurement, Environmental Standards and Social Standards aimed at producing scholars equipped to understand, implement and update regulatory frameworks, policies, standards, processes and protocols for responsibly executing and managing sustainable development projects.

The special Centre, which will commence its academic activities soonest, is targeted to foster multi-disciplinary collaboration with the private and public sectors for the sustenance of the State-of-the-Art professionalism in Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards.

In the same vein, its philosophy is to make excellence the hallmark in the development of skilled intellectually competent manpower in Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards for the service of both domestic and global employment markets.

In her speech, the Director of the Centre, Engr. Prof. Mrs Gloria A. Chukwudebe informed the members of the high-profile team, comprising individuals of note and impeccable intellectuals, that the CE-sPESS was poised to ensure that it delivers unique services that would stand the test of time.

Prof. Chukwudebe, who is equally the current Dean of the School of Information & Communications Technology (SICT) of FUTO, took time to highlight the key benefits of programs to be offered by the Centre, opining that they will go a long way to provide the much needed societal services in the area of Procurement initiatives coupled with Environment and Social Policies.

On his part, the Centre’s Industrial Liaison Officer, Prof. Christopher C. Eze highlighted that, when fully implemented and operational, the CE-sPESS would stop at nothing to train personnel that could provide the required services in private, public and industrial sectors, in the underlined areas.

Prof. C. C. Eze, who is currently the Dean of Post-Graduate School (PGS) and the immediate past Director of Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies of the University, told the team that the CE-sPESS was out to reposition the Nigerian Society and beyond in the aforementioned target fields of human endeavour.

In addition, the proposed tuition fees of the various programmes to be offered by the Centre, as well as the calibre of lecturers (trainers), were deliberated by the team.

The policy framework reached by the team is expected to be further tendered to the University Management under the watch of the VC, Prof. F. C. Eze, FNIP for onward adoption and approval.

The prospective students (trainees) of the CE-sPESS are enjoined to stay tuned towards acquiring the needed information concerning the impending full implementation and operation of the Centre.

It’s noteworthy that FUTO is one of the six universities across Nigeria selected by the Federal Government (FG) to run the remarkable programme.