Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.4, No.23, 2013 175 The Role of Universities in Human Capital Development: Implications for National Transformation Osim, Rosemary Onya. * Uchendu, Chika C. * Dr. William E. Ekpiken Department of Educational Administration and Planning, University of Calabar, Calabar * E-mail rosemaryosim@gmail.com Abstract This study investigated the role of Universities in human capital development in Cross River State and its implication for national transformation. Ex-post facto design was adopted in the study. Two research questions and hypotheses respectively were raised to guide the study. A sample of 227 lecturers were drawn from a population of 1,517 lecturers from the two universities. The Role of Universities in Human Capital Development for National Transformation Questionnaire (TRUIHCDFNTQ) was used to generate data. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. From the results, it was concluded that opportunities for attending retraining programmes and conferences/workshops had significant relationship with lecturers’ transformation in terms of their teaching effectiveness and subsequent national transformation. Based on the findings it was recommended that; Government should provide funds to the universities to sponsor lecturers to attend retraining programmes. Keywords: The Role of Universities, Human Capital Development, National Transformation. 1. Introduction There is no doubting the fact that, education is the bedrock of national development and transformation. Acquisition of knowledge, skills and competences needed for useful lives of the citizenry in the society can be possible through education. The Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) in her national policy on education asserts that “education is the instrument par excellence for effecting national development”. What this implies is that at any point in time, education must respond to the need of national development. It also means that the operators of the education system (including teachers) must respond to changes as result of dynamic nature of education. The role of teachers in educational goal attainment as well as national transformation is central and cannot be disputed. The same policy observes that “no educational system can rise above the level of it teachers”. From time to time, as successive governments take up the mantle of leadership, they come up with different national developmental plans. Many have come and gone without the implementation of such plans. Many factors incapacitate such plans. The factors include: inadequate capable human capital to execute such plans. The present administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2011 came up with a new national developmental plan cristened “The transformation Agenda” (2011-2015). This presently is ongoing. The agenda which draws its inspiration from vision 20:20:20 seeks to bring about transformation in all facets the national life. Nigeria’s vision 20:20:20, according to Wikepedia, the free encyclopedia is a policy which states that “by 2020 Nigeria will be one of the 20 largest economics in the word, able to consolidate its leadership role in Africa and establish itself as a significant player in the global economic and political arena. Nigeria is said to be biggest economy in the West African sub region. The considerable resource endowment and coastal location gives the country potential for growth. But for about the past 30 years these potential seems not to have been harnessed hence history of economic stagnation, declining welfare, and social instability has undermined development. But recently, Nigeria has been experiencing a growth turnaround. The previous administration earlier declared the intention to pursue the vision of placing Nigeria among the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 and current administration is committed to the attainment of this vision. It is based on this vision that the present administration launched the transformation agenda What does transformation connote? It means changing from one quality to a better and more attractive one. The world is full of competiveness in all spheres. Hence, if Nigeria must be ranked among the first twenty (20) developed countries by the year 2020, then the transformation agenda is inevitable. According to Anyim (2012) “transformation of a country connotes rapid incremental changes in the development indices of that country i.e. comparatively high Gross Domestic product (GDP) and High Human Development Index (HDI), achieved through deliberate intervention policies, appropriately and faithfully implemented. The transformation agenda in Nigeria according to Opara and Isa (2012) in Jarim and Danladi (2013) “is a deliberate attempt by the Goodluck administration to correct the flaws in the country’s drive for development after many years of absence of long term perspective, lack of continuity, consistence and commitment to agreed policies” (p.4). The president in attempt to address the way business was done in government and therefore advocated for a drastic change through the national transformation agenda in all spheres of the economy.