By: IndyPress News Desk
The University of Ibadan has received software licences and workstations valued at over $3 million from Baker Hughes Oil Services Company to strengthen industry-relevant training and research in geology.
The donation, made to the Department of Geology, includes two HP G9 workstation modelling laptops, five licenses of JewelSuite subsurface modelling software, and five licenses of JewelSuite geomechanics software.
According to the Head of the Department of Geology, Professor M. E. Nton, the University of Ibadan is one of three institutions selected to benefit from the initiative.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Aderonke Olapegba, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, described the donation as a significant step in strengthening collaboration between the university and industry.
“The items donated to the university serve as a testament of shared commitment to student training that will enhance relevance in the industry, advance education, foster research and contribute to town-gown development in Nigeria,” the DVC stated.
He further assured that the department would deploy the equipment immediately to meet students’ training needs, while also requesting the company’s technical support in training both staff and students on the use of the software.
Speaking on behalf of the company, the Principal Geomechanics Advisor at Baker Hughes Oil Services Company, Mr David Odofin, said the donation was aimed at exposing students to industry-standard tools and equipping them with skills required to compete globally.
Mr Odofin, also affirms the company’s commitment to building local capacity in the energy sector through student training. He added that the future of the industry depends on how well today’s students are prepared.
He further explained that the workstations and software licences go beyond academic tools, describing them as opportunities for students to gain early exposure to real-world data interpretation and technical problem-solving. He added that the renewal of the software licences would be based on their effective utilisation.
According to him, manuals have been provided for the use of the equipment, while the company has also committed to organising regular training sessions for students to support capacity building.
SOURCE: UI Directorate of Public Communication
