University of Ibadan Hosts NUC Accreditation for Eight PAULESI Postgraduate Programmes

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has deployed 26 professionals across eight accreditation panels to assess postgraduate programmes at the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), University of Ibadan.

The development was disclosed on Monday by Mrs Uchenna Obidiagbo, Deputy Director at the NUC, during a visit by the commission’s delegation to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale.

According to her, the accreditation exercise covers eight postgraduate programmes, including Plant Breeding; Medicinal Plant Research and Drug Development; Petroleum Geoscience; Avian Medicine and Vaccine Production and Quality Control; Reproductive Health; Sports Management and Policy Development; Environmental Management; and Mineral Exploration.

Speaking during the visit, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Adebowale, described the accreditation as a landmark exercise, noting that it is the first accreditation of postgraduate programmes at PAULESI, a continental initiative of the African Union Commission hosted by the university.

He stressed that accreditation remains a vital academic process for measuring universities against global standards and best practices.

“Accreditation exercises enable universities to measure themselves against global standards and best practices,” he said.

Adebowale expressed optimism that the outcome of the exercise would serve as a framework for continuous improvement in postgraduate education across Africa. He also assured the accreditation panels of full institutional support throughout the process.

He further explained that PAULESI was established through a competitive bidding process under the African Union Commission’s vision to strengthen science and technology education across the continent.

According to him, the institute is designed to promote research and produce a critical mass of highly skilled researchers capable of addressing Africa’s developmental challenges.

He added that similar Pan African University institutes exist in Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, and Cameroon, with Nigeria, through the University of Ibadan, hosting the West African hub.

Adebowale also emphasized the need for universities to maintain high academic standards in order to remain globally competitive, noting that despite challenges facing public universities, they remain central to higher education development in Nigeria.