Ben Dunno, Warri
Prof. Augustine Ikelegbe, the Vice-Chancellor of the Western Delta, University, (NDU), Oghara, Delta state, has described the institution as a brand that is reaching for the skies and is redefining the idea of a university in Nigeria.
He made the assertion at a media chat held yesterday ahead of the 11th -13th combined convocation ceremony slated for today at the main WDU main campus, Oghara, Ethiope West LGA, Delta state,
According to Ikelegbe; “We are a proud player in the private university system which is leading the trail in quality education, the application of audio-visual learning facilities, the application of ICT and digital technology in Nigeria today”.
Speaking further; “With smaller enrolments and better facilities, emphasis on discipline and character, strict rules of student conduct and behaviour, and stability of university calendar, private universities are attracting more attention today in the quest for quality tertiary education in Nigeria”.
He disclosed that lack of accreditation woes, bedeviling many private universities was strange to the institution as it never had any problem with getting accreditation for all its courses”.
He said: “We are up-to date in the accreditation of our academic programmes, and we have full accreditation in all our programmes, with one exception that is an interim-accreditation”.
“We have been successful in the new programmes that we have put up for verification by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and have been granted approval to mount them”.
“Though less than 20 years old, he said that WDU has “significantly expanded academic colleges from three to six, expanded degree programmes and expanded enrolment”.
“The University started Postgraduate Programmes in the College of Social and Management Sciences in the
2021/ 2022 academic session and at this convocation, the first set of Postgraduate graduands, four in postgraduate Diplomas and 14 in Master of Science, will receive higher degrees”.
He said; “WDU will extend Postgraduate programmes to the Colleges of Natural and Applied Sciences, Computing and Law after the National Universities Commission’s verification exercises in 2024”.
“426 students will receive first degrees at this convocation, with 18 earning First Class, 147 in the Second Class Upper, 218 in the second Class Lower and 43 in the Third Class categories”.
He applauded the WDU Visitor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, for his dependable support and provision of needed facilities that has assisted the institution remarkably in achieving the rare feats.
Continuing Prof Ikelegbe said; “The University has developed a Center for Learning Resources comprising the Main Library and e-Library in the Main Campus, and libraries for the College of Law at Ijomi Campus, the College of Applied Health Sciences at the Take-Off Campus and the College of Computing in the Main Campus”.
“In 2022, we acquired a total of 1,605 volumes, in addition to downloading e-books and journals. As at August 2023, the University had a total of 18,885 volumes of books and
1,055 titles of Journals”
“We are currently deploying the KOFA Student Management System application, which is deployed by many large universities, for academic record, result processing, accommodation, and library access.”
“We have also upgraded our network infrastructure through bandwidth enhancement and stronger network infrastructure”.
“Leveraging on the microwave technology, we have successfully linked the Ijomi Campus to the network infrastructure in the Main Campus”.
“In addition, the university website has been extensively improved in terms of improved site navigation, accessibility, user traffic and content, and online relevance”.
“We have established more laboratories in the Colleges of Computing, and Applied Health Sciences and we are equipping them. We have introduced audio-visual teaching aids, and extended WiFi coverage”.
“We are progressively equipping academic and administrative units with computers and office equipment. We have made remarkable progress in infrastructure, facility and
social service development,” he stated.