Dr. Smart Olugbeko Appointed Provost of Federal College of Education Ilawe-Ekiti

Dr. Smart Olugbeko has been appointed the new Provost of the Federal College of Education, Ilaor-Ekiti, an institution established in 2023 with a dual mandate to offer both NCE and degree programs. Olugbeko, a seasoned academic and administrator with over 25 years in the college of education sector, began his career at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo. He progressed from Lecturer III to Chief Lecturer and undertook sabbatical and secondment appointments at other federal colleges. His academic qualifications include degrees from Ondo State University and the University of Ibadan, a PhD from the University of Staffordshire, UK, and postgraduate certificates from Johns Hopkins University, USA, and the University of Utrecht, Netherlands. Olugbeko has authored four books and published over 60 scholarly papers. He has also served on numerous prestigious committees, including those focused on artificial intelligence and research funding. As an administrator, he previously served as Head of Department and Dean of the School of Education at Adeyemi College of Education. His leadership is characterized by vision, inclusivity, and a commitment to institutional growth. Olugbeko's tenure as chairman of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) was transformative. He was instrumental in championing the Federal College of Education Establishment Bill, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which enabled colleges of education to award bachelor's degrees and extend professorial status to their lecturers. He also secured revitalisation funds for these institutions and fostered international collaborations through Memoranda of Understanding with universities in Rwanda and other African nations.

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His leadership style is marked by vision, inclusivity, and a commitment to institutional growth.