The National Universities Commission (NUC) in its latest 2015 ranking has rated the University of Ibadan first among its peers in Nigeria.
The NUC ranking placed other first generation Universities in the top five with the University of Lagos ranked 2nd, University of Benin, 3rd, Obafemi Awolowo University, 4th and Ahmadu Bello University, 5th.
The ranking indicated that the University of Ilorin is 6th, Lagos State University (11th) while the Covenant University led Pan African University (18th) to occupy 13th position.
University of Jos (7th), University of Port Harcourt (8th), University of Maiduguri (9th), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (10th), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (12th), University of Nigeria (14th), Federal University of Technology, FUTA (15th), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (16th), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (17th) Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH (19th), Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (20th).
Reacting to the latest ranking, the Vice Chancellor Prof Abel Idowu Olayinka stated that the university was thinking more about ranking among the Top five in Africa in next few years.
Prof Olayinka said the premier university is positioned to achieve the feat owing to its highly developed Postgraduate school with easily the largest number of Masters and Doctoral students in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Being No 1 in Nigeria and No 1 in West Africa should not be taken for granted. The real challenge is for us to be ranked among the top 5 in Africa in the next few years. This is do-able given the pedigree of Ibadan over the last 68 years.
“As we speak, we have perhaps the most highly developed postgraduate school, with easily the largest number of Masters and Doctorla students in sub-Saharan Africa. The UI school of Business has been approved by the National Universities Commission, and it is set to take off soon with her flagship MBA programme, which used to be run by our Department of Economics,” he said.
The UI Research Foundation (UIRF), set up by the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof Isaac Folorunso Adewole, to reposition research activities in this institution, is perhaps the first of its type in Africa.
The Board of the UIRF is chaired by Rt Hon Uduimo Itsueli, a distinguished alumnus and Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of Dubril Oil, who has committed nearly N100 million of his personal funds toward the construction of a befitting edifice to house the UIRF at the Ajobode Extension.
Meanwhile, the Senate of the University has approved the withdrawal of 97 students from the University for failure to obtain the minimum academic requirements at the end of the 2014/15 session.
A special Bulletin released by the institution and signed by its Registrar, Olujimi Olukoya said the students were from seven faculties across the university.
The expelled students were at various levels of education pursuit including those in final year, adding that some of the students had lapsed studentship while three voluntarily withdrew from the institution.
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