38 AKSU programmes get NUC accreditation – Prof. Nse Essien
Prof. Nse Essien, Vice Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) on Thursday said the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved full accreditation of 38 of its 42 academic programmes.
Essien, a Professor of Sedimentology, disclosed this at a news conference as part of activities marking his one year in office.
He said the remaining three unaccredited programmes were new ones to commence in the 2020/2021 academic session in July, adding that students had already been admitted into the programmes.
The vice chancellor said the 38 accredited academic programmes were in Faculty of Agriculture, Social Sciences, Management Studies, Art, Science Engineering and Science Education.
He expressed optimism that the remaining three programmes which are: Sociology and Anthropology, Biochemistry and Banking and Finance would be accredited when the NUC team visits again two weeks from now.
“Altogether, we have about 38 academic programmes. We have just moved from 38 to 42 academic programmes. Faculty of Agriculture, Social Sciences, Management Studies, Art, Science Engineering and Science Education.
“For the past one year that we have been in the saddle of leadership, we have started three new programmes and the programmes are; Sociology and Anthropology, Department of Biochemistry and Department of Banking and Finance.
“So, these new programmes will actually start in July, when the new academic session commences, that is 2020/2021 academic session.
“We have already admitted students and they will start normal academic activities. The programmes will be based in Obio Akpa Campus,” Essien said.
The vice chancellor added that apart from the three new programmes, the university had also commenced Postgraduate Studies in 67 programmes.
He said the postgraduate programmes had received the approval of the NUC and would span between PGD, M.SC, MPA, MBA and PhD.
Essien added that the university had also unbundled Mass Communication into Department of Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting and Journalism and Media Studies.
“This is our definite plan to ensure that we produce quality postgraduate to suffocate the work space in Nigeria and we also have PGD, Masters and Doctorate programmes in Mass Communication.
“We have also unbundled Mass Communication, now it is no longer Mass Communication, but we have broken them into other departments.
“In our university, we have the Departments of Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting and Journalism and Media Studies, “he said.
The vice chancellor said that in order to make good use of the Mass Communication department, the university would launch its AKSU FM Radio Station in July.
He said “Very soon, within the next 30 days we are going to launch and hit the airwave with our AKSU FM radio, and the radio has received all the clearance.”
Essien said the university was to mainstream all the visions of the state government through their programmes and produce manpower that would support maritime, aviation industries and drive industrialisation process.
