The Centre of Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law is a multi-disciplinary global Centre of excellence whose main goal is to train highly-skilled personnel and conduct research on energy. In a sense, it is another platform for the University of Ibadan to provide cutting-edge training and research facilities to meet rapidly rising national and international needs for capacity building. must be seen as part of the strategy for actualizing the vision and mission of the university of Ibadan, a premier institution of higher learning in Nigeria and Africa. The Centre is conceptualized as an important element in the internalization strategy of the University of Ibadan's contribution to global search for establishing and maintaining global best practices in energy, fundamental factor in sustainable human development. Our alumni have and continue to carry the Ibadan touch of excellence to reputable academic institutions, as well as public and private sectors across the globe in the area of energy studies.
The Centre of Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law is a well-considered step to address the significant knowledge and skills gap in the energy sector and provide a steady stream of competent, thoroughly professional workforce to manage this important sector in Nigeria and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa. In meeting the knowledge and skill gaps, will use its connection and collaboration with reputable global energy centres and institutions to deliver rich menu of global competencies in training, staff development, research and advocacy in sustainable energy development. To safeguard the Centres programmes and ensure that they meet industry standards and expectations, the University has entered into partnership and collaboration arrangements with similar institutions at home and abroad. With this arrangement the Centre's faculty will be drawn from local and foreign universities and from practitioners in the sector across the globe. aims at providing an environment that combine the best of local, regional and global expertise in energy. 's approach of bringing economists, social scientists, lawyers, scientists, engineers and other stakeholders together reflects the Centre's perspective that energy issues must be seen from a holistic view that encompass science, engineer, economics, finance and law.
Creative research and imaginative training of people are essential to sustainable energy development underscored by sustainable human development. The Centre's goal is to be an important part of this global quest for sustainable energy and human development through forward-looking training, research, outreach and staff development. Its local objectives are noble and promise a fresh breath of air in a sector that is increasingly under immense challenges associated with sustainable human development. and University of Ibadan are poised to make their unique contributions to finding imaginative solutions to the national, regional and global energy issues of the 21st century.
Finally, I use this opportunity to express the university's gratitude to the MacArthur Foundation whose grant contributed significantly to the establishment of the Centre. In addition, our gratitude goes to the collaborating institutions, Centre for Energy Economics, University of Texas, The Energy Centre, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, and The Institute of Petroleum Studies, University of Port Harcourt. I look forward to your partnering with us in this endeavour.
Professor Kayode Adebowale
Vice-Chancelor
University of Ibadan