By Felix Khanoba
University of Abuja (UniAbuja) will soon commence new academic programmes on Nuclear Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Railway Engineering, Mining and Geology as well as Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Vice Chancellor of UniAbuja, Prof. Rasheed Na’Allah, disclosed this on Monday during a media parley at the University’s campus.
Na’Allah, who recently clocked four years as Vice Chancellor of the university, said the institution’s is awaiting the approval of the National Universities Commission (NUC) before the take-off of the new programmes.
“All these (programmes) are taking off, and as I speak today, by this weekend , NUC is coming to do resource verification, most of these areas including Mining and Geology, staff have been recruit,” he said.
Speaking on the positive turn of events in the University since he assumed office as Vice Chancellor, Prof Na’Allah attributed it to hard work and passionate commitment to set goals, saying before his coming, the institution was almost overwhelmed with several challenges including poor students welfare, dilapidated infrastructure, among others, even as its centre of distance learning was at the verge of closure.
“Our goal is to reposition the University to be a global University, that produces students to be global citizens.
“I am happy that in four years, we have been able to make a major move. I am not saying we have achieved everything, but I am humble to say we have been able to change the story of University of Abuja, You can no longer call us a glorified secondary school, even if you call it so, some people will tell you don’t know what you are talking about.
“You will no longer say our students are not global citizens because in addition to the primary courses and programmes they are doing which have been upgraded largely, many of them are doing programme in Japanese, Portuguese…..
” We employ our students and pay them stipends. We give students grants to do research…….
“When I came in, we didn’t even have a clear stadium but now you go there, we have stadium, we just finished the indoor sports hall. We are starting the construction of mini stadium in our university,” Prof Na’Allah said.
The Vice Chancellor also revealed that the University is rolling out a programme that will take a number of students outside the shores of the country, adding that it testified to the stronger academic development recorded in UniAbuja within the last four years, which has also resulted in many lecturers securing several international grants for scholarly works.
On the new academic programmes, the VC said the University is collaborating with relevant bodies and industies to ensure their innovative take-off.
” Railway engineering, we are collaborating with the Chinese government, the President of China, picked University of Abuja for Luban workshop, we are working with them to start Railway Engineering , they have given us enormous equipment,” he said, adding that many UniAbuja’s staff have also been trained.
Speaking further, Prof Na’Allah said over 1,000 students of the institution have registered their businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as part of the initiatives put in place in to encourage self-reliance and job creation, adding that a solid relationship has also been created with the industry.
His words : “The industries are constantly working with us and everytime we are always seeing something new. One of the newest things for example this time around is that more than 1,000 students have registered their companies with CAC.
“Students having companies is incredible and these students some of them are graduating, some are in 300 level with opportunities to even practice the companies that they registered.
“And what we are saying to our students is that we are not only giving you certificates to go and look for employment, we are charging you to employ yourself and create wealth. We are charging our students to change their mindset and not think that government is there.”
On the various infrastructural projects going on in the campus, including central laboratory, stadium, students hostels, additional staff quarters, among others, the Vice Chancellor assured that many would be completed within the next one year.
The Kwara-born erudite scholar also revealed that the convocation which was supposed to hold in February this year will now take place in two months from now, while another one for present graduating students is scheduled for February 2024, adding that the University has ruled out combined convocation ceremony.
