NUC Assesses DOU’s Readiness For Postgraduate Programmes
By GEORGETTE CHIDI
THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has commenced resource verification at Dennis Osadebay University (DOU), Asaba, ahead of the proposed launch of postgraduate programmes at the institution.
The exercise seeks to determine whether the university has the academic manpower, infrastructure and facilities required to deliver quality postgraduate education.
It also covers teaching and research resources, library facilities, documentation and other requirements prescribed by the regulatory body.
Receiving the NUC delegation, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Aghalino, described the exercise as an opportunity for the university to assess its preparedness and strengthen areas that still require attention.
He assured the team of the university’s full cooperation.
According to him, management remains committed to meeting the standards required for the successful commencement of the programmes.
Speaking for the NUC team leads, Prof. Haruna Lawal said the exercise was more than a routine inspection.
Instead, he described it as a constructive assessment aimed at identifying the university’s strengths while highlighting areas that need improvement.
The team subsequently examined academic staffing, physical facilities, laboratories, classrooms, academic offices and research infrastructure.
It also inspected the library, electronic databases and other facilities relevant to postgraduate teaching and supervision.
Beyond the physical inspection, the assessors reviewed staff strength, institutional documents and other academic records.
The programmes assessed included Chemistry, Economics, Agricultural Economics and Extension, Geology and International Relations, among others.
At the end of the exercise, the various team leads presented preliminary observations to the university management.
The assessors commended DOU for facilities already provided, particularly academic staff office accommodation.
However, they identified areas requiring further attention, including infrastructure, manpower, library resources, research facilities and documentation.
Responding, Aghalino thanked the NUC delegation for what he described as a professional and constructive assessment.
He assured the team that management would address the gaps identified during the exercise.
Meanwhile, the university has commenced construction of additional facilities, including lecture halls, while efforts are also underway to improve office accommodation for academic staff.
Although DOU has invested substantially in electronic library resources, the Vice Chancellor acknowledged the need to expand its collection of physical books.
“We are not afraid of challenges. We are here to tackle them headlong,” Aghalino said.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to establishing postgraduate programmes that meet national and international standards.
The NUC team, in turn, commended the university for its openness and cooperation.
Management pledged to sustain the improvement drive as DOU works towards the successful take-off of its postgraduate programmes.
