The Landmark University’s 3rd Annual Registry Training, held between the 10th and 11th of August 2022, was targeted at raising the bar of contributions to the University system by the administrators. Featuring seasoned administrators from Landmark University, Covenant University, and the University of Ilorin, the training with the theme “Towards Sustaining a World-Class Administrative Status for Global Relevance in Tertiary Institutions”, addressed salient issues bordering on work-life balance, cultural diversity, healthy work habits, stress management and teamwork and collaboration which are germane to administrators’ quality service delivery and productivity in the workplace. 

Declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charity Aremu who accentuated the role of administrators, especially in the university system also noted the essence of training in adding value to any organization. In view of the topics of discourse, she said that they were designed to revolutionize their quotient for best practices in the administrative profession. While congratulating the participants on the deliverables of the training, Professor Aremu disclosed that the training would cater for at least four key levels of intelligence which she believed are necessary for fulfillment both at home and at work thereby sustaining the world-class status. She, therefore, appreciated the proprietor base ably led by the Chancellor, Dr David Oyedepo for ensuring an enabling environment for the administrators to thrive as professionals.

In furtherance of their appreciation, the Registrar, Miss Adefunke Fola Oyinloye in her opening remark also expressed gratitude to the proprietor for their unflinching support towards the continuous capacity building for the administrative staff of the University. While speaking on the training, she emphasized its significance since the first edition in 2020 which she said had been impactful. She further stated that the third one would not be devoid of impact as it was organized to enrich the knowledge base of the administrative arm of the University. She rolled out the list of facilitators while assuring participants of their competence to justify the topics thereby adding value not only to the participants but also to the trajectory of Annual Registry Training at Landmark University. To emphasize the import of training in organizations, Miss Oyinloye stated that the training has the capacity to give every employee a sense of belonging. She, therefore, acknowledged the contributions of the Organizing Committee led by the Head of Corporate and Public Affairs, Mr Olugbenga Olajide for the adequate preparation that led to a hitch-free event. She also acknowledged the participation of members of other universities in the training.  

In the first presentation titled, “The Imperatives of Work-Life Balance for a University Administrator”, the University of Ilorin’s Registrar, Dr. Folaranmi Olowoleni, revealed the impact of striking a work-life balance on the social life, mental health, and emotions of the administrators. According to her, the benefits of work-life balance include reduction in health issues, higher productivity, improved relationship, fulfillment, healthy and balanced family and reduction in risk of burnout among others. Dr. Olowoleni who identified cognitive dissonance and emotional dissonance as barriers to achieving work-life balance listed cognitive training, workplace balance, prioritizing work and social connection as some strategies for promoting work-life balance. Concluding she said that, “the benefits of work-life balance for a University administrator are enormous and cannot be over-emphasized. She, therefore, advocated for Universities not only to put in place policies supporting work-life balance but also to implement them for bifocal and mutual benefits.   

The second presentation on “Harnessing the Inherent Benefits of Cultural Diversity in a Workplace for Improved Productivity: The Experience in a Typical Nigerian University” emphasized the crucial role of the Nigerian institutions in promoting a workforce that will exemplify the beauty of cultural diversity, noting its essence in promoting excellence service delivery and productivity, thereby building a strong nation. The presenter, Mr. Olugbenga Olajide, Head of Corporate and Public Affairs, Landmark University also identified better innovations, exceptional viewing platforms, creative solutions, multiple solutions, increase profit and increased employee engagement as some of the benefits of cultural diversity in workplace. 

Also, the Pioneer Registrar of Landmark University, Deaconess Mary Aboyade who is now Chief Academic Planner at Covenant University highlighted the nexus between teamwork and collaboration in her presentation on “Teamwork and Collaboration: The Essentials for Goal Actualization”. She defined collaborative teamwork as an act of engaging the group to combine expertise and solve problems together, while also assigning individual tasks and roles for autonomy. While stating that there must be a set of actualizable goals for a team to have a successful collaboration, Deaconess Aboyade identified reliability, self-awareness, time management and resource management among others as some of the benefits of teamwork. 

The Acting Registrar of Covenant University, Mr. Emmanuel Igban in his presentation titled “Maintaining a healthy work habit: the place of effective delegation”, encouraged leaders to imbibe delegation for result-oriented and productive leadership. Delegation according to Mr Igban comes as a result of an increase in job responsibilities which must be accounted for. He said it is a necessary tool to develop other employees, very effective in time-saving, and helps to increase productivity while creating a sense of belongings among employees. 

Crowing the presentation sessions, Registrar Landmark University, Miss Adefunke Fola Oyinloye who made presentation on “Managing Administrative Stressors: A Catalyst for Individual and Corporate Goals”, noted that stressors are real and inevitable. Miss Oyinloye categorized sources of administrative stressors into intrinsically and extrinsically generated stressor. According to her, intrinsic stressors which include thoughts, self-perception, self-pressure and negative life perception while extrinsic stressors could be a state of insecurity, unhealthy workplace environment which includes overwork, overload, underwork, unchallenging, boring, repetitive job, poor working environment, unhealthy rivalry and hostility among others.  She stated that “stressors are part of life, for as long as we are alive and relate with ourselves, and others”, while identifying reduced productivity, lack of concentration, increase in errors and mistakes and emotional instability as some expressions of administrative stressors.      

In her closing remark, the Vice-Chancellor summarizing the presentations said to maintain a work-life balance in a culturally diversified workplace, one must be healthy with the aid of teamwork while managing the stressors at the workplace. “With this, we are raising the bar of excellence in delivery not minding the unit we are working from” she added. Professor Aremu, thereafter, appreciated the Facilitators, organizing committee members as well as participants for coming up with the 3rd Annual Registry Training. Aside administrators in Landmark University that participated onsite in the training, some administrators from Covenant University, Ota; Redeemer’s University, Ede; and Delta State University, Abraka, partook online in the training that was adjudged inspiring, refreshing and impactful.