Centre Leader, Africa Centre of Excellence on New Pedagogies in Engineering Education (ACENPEE), Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Raymond B Bako, has stressed the need for professors to always see themselves as academic leaders.
Bako, who doubles as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, further said beyond lectures, professors must also influence the society through public expertise and governance.
This should be in addition to setting intellectual direction, mentoring future scholars, and managing research, he said.
Prof Bako was among the six distinguished facilitators who gave lectures at a one-day symposium organised by Ahmadu Bello University for its newly promoted professors. He spoke on ‘Professors as Academic Leaders’
He maintained that pedagogical and curricula leadership was desirable for professors and that they should pay attention to curriculum development, mentorship, succession, and innovation.
Bako stated that professors must design and update courses to meet academic and industry standards as well as guide dissertations and prepare students for academic careers.
He also said as professors they should integrate ICT, AI, and outcome based and experiential learning methods.
According to him, it was part of the broader roles of professors to set research agenda, secure funding, and manage teams.
For example, he explained, they should identify gaps and direct research towards high-impact solutions.
He also said as academic leaders they must write for grants and obtain support from governments, industry, and foundations, besides leading research teams and mentoring graduate students.
The ACENPEE Centre Leader further stated that through shared governance, professors take on formal roles that shape departmental, faculty and university leadership.
On public and disciplinary leadership, they act as gatekeepers and public intellectuals, according to him.
He also pointed out that media and governments rely on professors for expert interpretation as they translate research into policy, public understanding, and industry practice.
Bako, however, said balancing roles as educators, researchers, administrators, and mentors could be very challenging for professors, as many perform some of these roles with little formal training.
The don, therefore, urged that they should prioritize teaching excellence, drive high-impact research, support mentorship and administration, as well as engage publicly with rigor.