HISTORY OF FUPRE
With the coming of democracy in 1999, the then new government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo felt the need to address the challenges of the Niger Delta and Delta State in particular. In July 1999, a 12-member committee was constituted to work out modalities for the establishment of a federal university in the state. The membership of the committee was drawn from the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and the Petroleum training Institute (PTI).
The Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) was eventually established in March 2007, to meet the yearnings of the immediate community and as well as the desire of the Federal Government to correct the past neglect of the area. The University is saddled with the responsibility of training a new breed of professional engineers and scientists with up-to-date technical know-how and the much-needed leadership capacity to drive innovations and become a problem-solving hub to the challenges of the industry.
It is the first Petroleum University of its kind in Africa and the sixth in the world; a status that places an enormous and highly demanding task on the institution to provide a benchmark for cutting-edge, industry-relevant technological education in Africa and Nigeria in particular.
VISION
The vision of FUPRE is to be the premier international institution with state-of-the-art facilities to provide for the petroleum and allied sectors, world-class education, training, research, consultancy and extension services.
MISSION STATEMENT
To create top quality human resource in order to enhance the local content in the Oil & Gas and Energy industry of the country. To design, develop and deliver cutting edge education and training programmes for professionals in the industry. To engage in research, consultancy and development activities in all technical and managerial aspects of the Oil & Gas sector. To take the leadership role in promoting the economic development of the immediate community and the society at large through specific education, training and outreach activities.
PHILOSOPHY
The driving philosophy of FUPRE is to “To promote the advancement of knowledge and produce graduates who are Technopreneurs with concern for the promotion of environmentally-friendly technological solutions in the practice of their profession”. This philosophy is guided by the following:
The need to provide facilities of world-class standard and an environment conducive to teaching, learning, research and good character building.
The need to nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship in students.
The various industrial sectors, in general, and, the oil and gas sector, in particular, are technology-driven. There is an urgent need to expose staff as well as students, irrespective of their disciplines, to the tools of Information Communication Technology (ICT) through exposure to computer usage, access to the Internet and the information superhighway.
The need to pay particular attention to research activities that will address the critical socio-economic and environmental issues in the sector.
ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES OF FUPRE
To provide access to university education for qualified candidates with interest in the Oil and Gas, and Allied sectors of the economy.
To act as a centre of academic excellence that will stimulate accelerated development through research and human resources development.
To provide courses of instruction and other facilities for acquisition of knowledge in relevant fields.
To promote local and international cooperation through linkages in pursuit of research, staff and student exchanges.
FUPRE ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
FUPRE academic activities are organized along the collegiate system and under this arrangement, related departments are grouped to form a college. Also, the university adopts and encourages inter-disciplinary approach in its teaching and research activities, while its academic system is driven strategically and structurally through Institutes, Schools and Centers towards the accomplishment of its mandate.
As a specialized University, FUPRE is deeply committed to the advancement of applicable knowledge through concerted research efforts in these fields and to produce graduates who are equipped with vital skills to be key players in the oil and gas sector of the economy. Thus, FUPRE nurtures the spirit of entrepreneurship in response to current realities.
At present, there are three colleges, namely, the College of Sciences, the College of Engineering and Technology, and the College of Petroleum Management Sciences. There are several other centers of excellence in the University.
UNIVERSITY SYMBOLS – MOTTO AND LOGO
The motto of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources is “Excellence and Relevance”. Excellence is to be reflected in every aspect of activities/sectors of FUPRE - excellent students, quality staff and research, excellent graduates, quality working and living environment. Relevance connotes the commitment of the University to the task of meeting the needs of the community, the nation and the world at large.
The Logo of the University combines four elements: one, the gear wheel symbolising technology; two, the blue section representing sea/ocean characterising the physical environment of the Niger Delta; three, an open book which is traditionally a symbol of knowledge; and four, the flame of enlightenment.
The colours of the University are black and dusty gold. The black represents the black gold (crude oil), the major mineral resource in the area. The dusty gold represents downstream products of the petroleum industry: petrol, diesel, kerosene, etc.