RSITIE VE S C NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION NI O U M L M A I S N S O I I O T N A N T H C E OU VI GHT AND SER MONDAY A PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY www.nuc.edu.ng Bulletin nd 0795-3089 2 December, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 44 Varsity Councils Must be Democratic —— President Buhari he Visitor to University advancement of higher education and would continue of Ibadan, President education in the country. to invest substantially in the TMuhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has urged University G o v e r n i n g C o u n c i l s t o appreciate the democratic nature of the University System a n d o p e r a t e o p e n a n d consultative governance to carry along both staff and students. In the Visitor’s address at the 71st Convocation Ceremony of University of Ibadan, the President who was represented by the Executive Secretary, N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t i e s Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed, emphasised that it was only when there was peace and stability that the Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR Government would be able to President, Federal Republic of Nigeria consolidate on the gains and The President stated that his sector. He said that despite successes recorded in the administration had since 2015 financial and other related given appreciable priority to challenges in the country, in this edition UoL in NUC IUO Hosts CISCO to Strengthen Networking Collaboration Workshop Pg. 5 Pg. 8 EDITORIAL BOARD: Ibrahim Usman Yakasai (Chairman), Mal. Haruna Lawal Ajo (Editor), Ogbonnaya Okoronkwo, Mrs. Franca Chukwuonwo, Miss Bunshak T.S, Francis Azu, Udey Felix, Aja-Nwachukwu Samuel, Sadiq Abubakar Enquiries: [email protected] 2nd December, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 44 Government had not relented in of Universities (ASUU) for increased incidences of its efforts to ensure that being a loud voice for the plagiarism, "sorting", sexual education was revitalised to fast revitalisation of university harassment and other forms of track Nigeria’s transition to a education in Nigeria, but academic corruption. President Buhari also urged students and the graduands to be active contributors to the achievement of the noble objective of nation building, by deploying the knowledge and skills acquired for national growth and development. While emphasising the role of university education in nation Prof. Abubakar A. Rasheed building, the President Reading the Visitor’s Address affirmed that convocation knowledge-based economy. however, challenged the Union ceremonies were not only to not only beam its searchlight meant for the conferment of He said “this explains why key on perceived failure of degrees on students and government agencies like the government but also on issues eminent personalities but also Central Bank of Nigeria, the bordering on corporate Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the Nigeria Communications Commission have been encouraged to support many Universities through the provision of additional teaching, learning a n d r e s e a r c h f a c i l i t i e s comparable with the best anywhere in the world”. The Visitor pointed out that government was fully aware of the challenges in the University L-R: Chancellor, His Eminence Alh. Sa’ad Abubakar (III), Representative of the Visitor, System and no stone would be Prof. Rasheed and Pro-Chancellor, Nde Waklek Joshua Mutka left unturned to change the g o v e r n a n c e i n v a r i o u s served as occasions to reflect narrative. He commended the i n s t i t u t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g on the past, review the present efforts of Academic Staff Union Page 2 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 2nd December, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 44 and fashion out a positive Awardees to continue to make Joshua M. Waklek, mni, thanked future. meaningful contributions to the the Federal Government for the development of the nation and sustained support, urging that He expressed concerns on the increased cases of drug abuse, cultism, armed robbery and other vices on campuses and hostels and therefore, called on all stakeholders to be on board as the task of eliminating such nefarious acts from universities should not be left to security agencies alone. He charged parents, guardians and the society in general to co- o p e r a t e w i t h r e l e v a n t L-R: Profs. Afis, Rasheed, Banjo and Chief Berkhout government agencies to address humanity in general. additional resources should be the ugly situation and restore Earlier in their respective made available for continuous sanity to the nation's academic speeches, the Chancellor of the development of the University. institutions and society at large. University, His Eminence, They also commended the Procession M r. P r e s i d e n t e q u a l l y Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Awardees for their invaluable commended the University for Abubakar III, CFR, mni, the services to the country and t h e c h o i c e o f e m i n e n t Sultan of Sokoto and the Pro- humanity in general. personalities for conferment of Chancellor and Chairman of honorary degrees and urged the Governing Council, Nde Page 3 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 2nd December, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 44 In his report, the Vice- were awarded first degrees, Chancellor of Afe Babalola Chancellor, Prof. Abel I. including 241 First Class. U n i v e r s i t y, A d o - E k i t i Olayinka, highlighted some of (ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, the achievements of the The Honorary Degrees and paid special tributes to the University to include the Fellowship Awardees were founding fathers of the establishment a new Faculty of Aare Afe Babalola (Doctor of U n i v e r s i t y a s h e a l s o Multi-Disciplinary Studies; Letters); Emeritus Prof. encouraged the Alumni of the Institute of Cardiovascular Ayodele Olajide Falase Institution to imbibe the spirit Diseases in the College of (Fellow of the University of o f m a k i n g g e n e r o u s Representative of the Visitor, Prof. Rasheed (1st right) in a handshake with Aare Afe Babalola. While Chancellor, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar (III) (middle) and VC, Prof. Idowu watch Medicine; as well as five new Ibadan); Mr. Alex Chika Ezeh contributions to endowment as Departments. The University (Doctor of Science); Prof. obtainable in other climes had also acquired High Folagbade O. Abaoba (Doctor where universities depended Performance Cluster (HPC) of Science) and Prof. (Chief) largely on endowments, grants, equipment for theoretical Emmanuel C. Edozien (Doctor professorial chairs and prizes, computations and simulations of Science), which was and less on government to assist in facilitating teaching a w a r d e d p o s t h u m o u s l y funding. and research in Data Science because he died on 5th and Artificial Intelligence. October, 2019. The event was attended by several dignitaries including He also informed the gathering Responding on behalf of the Vice-Chancellors of other that a total of 7,430 candidates Awardees, the founder and Universities. Page 4 A Publication of The Office of The Executive Secretary 2nd December, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 44 UoL in NUC to Strengthen Collaboration I n c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e ODL throughout the university. Dr. Winter further stated that the collaboration between National Head of CDE, Dr. Linda Universities Commission H e i n f o r m e d t h e N U C Amrane-Cooper, had been (NUC) and University of management that CDE, working closely with 25 Fellows London (UoL) on capacity supported by the Global w i t h i n t h e C e n t r e a n d building in Open and Distance E n g a g e m e n t t e a m i n collaborators at the UoL to Learning (ODL), a delegation collaboration with the National deliver a support workshop to from UoL led by the Director, Global Engagement Dr. Mike Winter, last week visited the Commission on a mission to evaluate the impact of the joint work already carried out. Speaking on their mission to the Commission, Dr. Winter said that UoL would appreciate comments and contributions from NUC on the research evaluating initiatives and also welcomed an opportunity to Prof. Alan Tait, CDE, University of London and DES (Admin.), NUC, undertake the research in Dr. Gidado Bello Kumo c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e Universities Commission NUC and the NUS. He said that Commission for the mutual (NUC), was inviting the CDE was able to ensure that the benefit of both organisations. Nigerian University System workshop combined leading (NUS) to a four- day Bespoke edge ideas with practical He explained that UoL Centre programme taking place in approaches to implementation for Distance Education (CDE), London, at the Senate House, for African context. He added was the university’s initiative to University of London from that since 2017, University of support the development of 10th to 13th March, 2020.