Senate president, Akpabio storms Abia Feb 8 to unveil AMADEUS varsity
By Steve Oko
Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, is expected in Abia on Saturday, February 8, for the formal unveiling of a state-of-the-art, ‘digital university’, the AMADEUS university, located at Amizi, Ikwuano Local Government Area.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Samuel Nzotta, who disclosed this during a press conference at the university, Thursday, said that the ceremony would also mark the institution’s maiden matriculation.
He applauded the Founder of the university, Dr Godwin Nwabunka, for the vision to establish the technology-driven institution to provide quality and affordable education to the people.
Restating the vision of the institution which is ” to produce globally-competitive, morally-sound and practically-oriented graduates that will positively impact on social sustainable development”, the VC said that those who longed for quality should look no farther.
He added that the mission of the university “is to create a conducive environment for learning, functional and purposeful infrastructure for the production of self-employable and productive graduates”.
The VC further said that the university came on board to provide opportunities for candidates to pursue their preferred course even in disciplines that were not common in universities around the area.
He disclosed that all 19 programmes of the university had been approved by the National Universities Commission, NUC, describing the feat as a testimony that the institution came prepared.
Meanwhile, some of the programmes run by the university include: Cyber security, software engineering, forensic science, data science, and information technology, nursing science.
Others are biotechnology, computer science electrical and electronic engineering, accounting, public health, economics, among others.
The VC further said that the institution would expand into other highly-sought after programmes which are relevant in society, including venturing into commercialised farming for food security.
He said that the university had competent staff for quality service delivery, adding that the infrastructure and facilities at the university are top notch and uncommon even in public institutions.
The VC added that that the institution employed facility managers for “premptive and proactive maintenance” of the facilities to ensure their durability.
He said that the hostel facilities were so sophisticated that ” our students will never carry a bucket and say they want to go and fetch water”.
The VC who added that the university had zero tolerance for cultism, exam malpractice and other vices on campus, said that adequate security measures had been put in place to ensure water-tight security of students and staff.
He, however, appealed to the Federal Government, to review the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TetFUND, modus operandi, to enable it provide research grants to scholars in private universities.
This, according to him, is to enable private universities in Nigeria fulfil their mandate.
The VC argued that scholars in private universities should not be excluded from research grants as they also have the capacity to carryout meaningful researches that could benefit human society.
He disclosed that the university had put in place various strategies to attract research grants from international funding agencies and corporate bodies to complement the seed grant by its founder.
The VC said:”We are technology- driven and established to provide quality and affordable education to the people”.
On the social responsibility role of the institution, the VC commended the founder for floating scholarship schemes for indigent students and students from the host community to give them opportunity to acquire university education.
He said:”There is also a scholarship scheme for best performing students in all the various faculties of the University”.
The VC further said that the university had built a computer based test , CBT, centre for “JAMB candidates”.
On the challenge of the institution, the VC appealed to the federal government to speed up the on-going reconstruction of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road to make the university easily accessible.
Contributing, a Professor of Mass Communication, Professor Uzoma Okugo, thanked the management of the university for its efforts towards setting up a campus radio station for its Mass Communication students.
He said that the move would better equip its Mass Communication students and also help disseminate information to its neighbouring communities.
Senior Management Staff of the university and Deans of Colleges were present during the press conference.
Later during a guarded tour of facilities at the ultra-modern institution, Wawa News Global, sighted electric min buses and motorcycles for campus shuttles and security patrols.
About The Author
More Stories
Abia govt declares war against dealers on fake drugs, adulterated products
Biafra elders storm Abia for Kanu’s late parents as family doubts sincerity of S’East govs to his release
Day Nnamdi Kanu lectured Nigerian judiciary, stole show in court