THE Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka recently celebrated the third year anniversary of her incumbent Vice Chancellor, Professor Boniface Egboka at the helms. The week-long activity climaxed with an interdenominational church service and a symposium, which saw friends, well-wishers and stakeholders in the nation's education sector, converge on the institution's auditorium to celebrate with the university.In a chat with media men on recent activities within the institution and his scorecard over three years, Egboka, who described the history of UNIZIK as that of a humble beginning, said he has consolidated on the foundation of his predecessors in a bid to see the institution gracefully join the world's top best 500 universities soon.He stressed that it was a deliberate policy of culture of continuity and excellence to reign that has made UNIZIK the preferred choice for most students and parents in the country and beyond within its short period of existence.Recently, about 10 new foreign universities, among which is Lincoln University, Philadelphia, United States of America, the alma mater of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the late Owelle of Onitsha after whom the Awka-based university was named, have now established linkage/collaborative relationship with UNIZIK.According to the Vice Chancellor, some others include University of Boras, Sweden; University of Manitoba, Canada; University of Michigan, Flint, USA; University of Diusberg-Essen, Germany and the Xiamen University, China, which has since set up Confucius Institute at the university and also at the university's secondary school where the Chinese language is now taught. Only recently, a 25-man staff and students of the Xiamen University, China were in Awka to perform and consolidate further relations between the two universities.Already, the 'Alliance Francaise,' a French non-profit organization that encourages the study of French language, literature and culture, and fosters friendly relations among countries, has obtained the nod to establish and make UNIZIK the annex of the Centre for French Teaching and Documentation. This was disclosed by the Director of the Centre, Mr. Dominique Fancelli, who led its management team on a visit to the university few months ago.The university has positively benefited from staff and student exchange programmes and relationship with other local and foreign universities. Through this, research and grants have been enhanced immensely.Latest records of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board's (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) show that more than 82, 000 students preferred UNIZIK to any other tertiary institution in the country, second only to Moshood Abiola University, formerly University of Lagos that was chosen by about 83, 000 students in the current academic year. And as cheering and heartwarming as the news and preference have been, Prof Egboka lamented that the National Universities Commission (NUC) allows them to admit only a fraction of that staggering number, for obvious reasons of facilities, space limitations and to maintain the already established high standard for which the university has been known worldwide.In the light of this therefore, the university, despite paucity of funds has continued with vigorous expansion of its academic facilities, programmes and staffing. The university has become synonymous with quality products andtimely and scheduled completion of all academic programmes. That was found to be the key reason students and parents prefer UNIZIK above others.Egboka has superintended over the full accreditation of 64 academic programmes and the interim accreditation of 4 others by the NUC within the last three years of his assumption of office. According to him, 'the National Universities Commission has published its 2011 Institutional Accreditation result with our dear Nnamdi Azikiwe University maintaining its enviable position in top ranking by scoring 'A.' The result, which shall be valid for five years, has highly enhanced the status and quality of UNIZIK among the comity of Nigerian universities.'Also, no fewer than eight professional bodies have granted successful accreditation to programmes in the university. At the same time, the Centre of Energy Environment and Faculty of Agriculture respectively have now fully taken off in UNIZIK.With the seemingly endless list of new, completed and on-going projects he has successfully undertaken, Egboka has left no one in doubt about his professed commitment and drive to take the university to the next level in the near future. There is basically no Faculty or Department therein that has no foreign or external linkage programme aimed at keeping them ahead in the ever-changing world today. Little wonder the entire community has become linked, thanks to the world of Information and Communication Technology superhighway. Such that at the mere push of a button one gets every necessary details required on UNIZIK, programmes, students and staff. In that wise therefore, all students have been mandated to undertake free computer training, to enable them participate actively in the society. Sports development and participation have also been enhanced for the improvement of the body and mind of the students, while all other social activities usually associated with a students's environment have been developed.At the interdenominational service to mark the day, the Vice Chancellor thanked all those who have helped the institution to its present level of academic excellence and first class facilities. He also thanked the Awka community for donating their land and the Federal Government for the continued sustenance.He disclosed also that the recent call for NEEDS document from all universities as part of the search and effort to find ways out of the difficulties in funding, would help reduce the funding challenges experienced by universities in the country presently.He praised the staff and students for their discipline and dedication to duty that have immensely helped progress and steady development in all ramifications. The university community also expressed joy and gave special commendation to stakeholders, including the Vice Chancellor for the return of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has been off for more than ten years now. They have gradually returned to join other social network groups like the students union and other associations in fostering industrial harmony within the university.Presently, staff annual appraisal is sure. Members of staff are now encouraged to send in requests for the Educational Trust Fund grant for Research, Postgraduate studies and Conferences. Pedestrian walkways, new roads, street lighting, grassing and greening of the entire university community has been given extra impetus that UNIZIK now casts a picture of what obtains in any part of the developed nations.Egboka admits that the joy of leadership is the ability to take home and or replicate any good thing discovered elsewhere. He derives great joy from any effort geared towards according the institution a special pride of place among its peers in the world.
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