The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 14 programmes for the commencement of academic activities of the Technical University (Tech-U), Ibadan.
This approval clears the way for the institution to proceed with the admission of students beginning from the 2017/2018 academic session.
A five-member resource-evaluation team of the NUC, led by Dr G. B. Kumo, had visited the University mid last month to assess its human and material resource readiness before take-off.
Tech-U is the first technical university in Nigeria and West and Central Africa. In a release made available to the press by the media office of the University, it was stated that the approved courses are to be run in the seven departments and two faculties the University is taking off with.
The two faculties are Faculties of Natural Sciences and Engineering and Technology. The release showed that the courses given full accreditation by the NUC include Microbiology, Industrial Chemistry, Physics with Electronics, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Mathematics, and Statistics. Others include Agricultural Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ayobami Salami, expressed delight with the approval, noting that the University would operate in a way that ensures that higher education live up to its highest potential to ennoble the human spirit and advance human society.
According to him, “The Technical University is a unique institution that is committed to training its students to create tomorrow today by giving them access to a broad range of knowledge that allows them to develop the capacity to innovate. Through unwavering commitment to the time-honoured principles of impactful innovation, first-rate research collaborations, exceptional services, unalloyed integrity, and unyielding quest for excellence, we seek to develop hands and minds that will meaningfully improve the human condition in Nigeria and beyond.
“As a technical university, we have an abiding obligation to efficiently and responsibly use theoretical and practical knowledge of science, technology, and engineering in engaging societal problems, while maintaining a culture of entrepreneurship anchored on quality programmes that are responsive and financially suitable and sustainable. It is in that connection that we provide entrepreneurial and vocational trainings to all students.”
Part of the uniqueness of the University, according to the release, is that, regardless of their areas of study, all students will undergo trainings in two vocational programmes in which they will be certified before graduation.
Students will also be required to sign in for French Language and undergo immersion as a prerequisite for graduation. Additionally, they are to learn one other Nigerian language apart from their mother tongue.
The release enjoined applicants, parents and guardians to visit the University website for information on application procedure.