ABU Reveals Plan to Admit More Students in Few Years

The management of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, says one of its strategic plans for 2022-2026 is to increase the number of students they admit.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, who disclosed this while declaring open the 61st Meeting of the Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools in Nigerian Universities held at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on Wednesday, explained that this was because the institution placed topmost priority to postgraduate studies.

The plan, according to the VC, is also in recognition of the centrality of postgraduate studies in the production of high-level manpower and quality research both of which are indispensably necessary ingredients in attaining sustainable national development.

According to a statement by the ABU’s Director, Directorate of Public Affairs, Auwal Umar, obtained by The PUNCH in Kaduna on Wednesday, Bala commended the committee for establishing and nurturing the Doctoral Academy of Nigeria with a view to ensuring the maintenance of the highest professional standards and codes of practice in the supervision and production of doctoral thesis in the country.

The meeting, which was jointly organised by the School of Postgraduate Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, and the Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools in Nigerian Universities, was to provide a platform for a national discourse on ‘Paradigm Shift in Delivery of Postgraduate Education and Research in the 21st Century.’

It was also to fashion out a comprehensive national response with a view to proposing strategies for the adoption and deployment of new and innovative ways in a smart and steady manner.

Erudite scholars and practitioners from the academia, many of whom are scholars of global repute or seasoned university administrators, were invited to present well-researched and thought-provoking papers.

Speaking further, the VC said ABU continued to grow in academic programmes and research aimed at addressing local and global challenges.

He added that the institution, in addition to having the highest number of postgraduate academic programmes and research centres of excellence in the country, also continued to attract sizeable amount of research grants locally and internationally.

The VC told the participants that the International Institute of Online Education established the Nigeria National Centre in Ahmadu Bello University, saying that the project basically aimed at empowering institutional policy implementation for digital teaching and learning in Nigeria.

He said only eight Nigerian universities had so far joined as members, urging that other universities in the country should be encouraged to take advantage of the valuable capacity building programmes being offered by the centre.

In her remarks, the Chairperson, Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools, Prof. Philomena Igbokwe, expressed delight that the meeting eventually took place after a series of postponements due to the prolonged ASUU strike and the 2023 general election.

The meeting, according to her, was also incorporating a workshop for secretaries of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools in Nigerian Universities which is the second in the series.

Igbokwe, who is the Provost, Postgraduate College, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for accepting to host the meeting and the “wonderful reception” accorded her and her entourage during their stay in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

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