The Vice Chancellor of the AAUA, Professor Olugbenga Ige,
stated this on Monday during a press conference heralding the 12th convocation
of the university.
The VC boasted that the 42 graduates in the first-class
category could hold their heads anywhere in the world, declaring that they had
earned it.
Ige said, “A total of 5,249 graduands from the 2020/2021 set
will be honoured this year. The faculty of education leads with 1,202
graduands, followed by science, arts, social sciences, administration and
management sciences, agriculture, law, the institute of part-time, and the
institute of education.
“A total of 180 graduands are receiving postgraduate
degrees, with 24 in the PhD category. Of the graduating class, 42 achieved
first class; 1,088 in second class upper division; 2,264 in second class lower
division; and 605 in third class
The don declared that first-class graduates of the
university would be given automatic jobs in the institution when they complete
their mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme.
He noted that despite the prevailing economic challenges in
the country, the 12th convocation would be a testament to the institution’s
commitment to benchmarks to be the best and most competitive institution
globally, disclosing that over 10,000 students applied to study in various
academic fields in the 2023/2024 academic year with just 6,300 slots given by
National Universities Commission.
According to the don, the institution was filled with
consistent efforts to augment its online presence and academic standard by
prioritising the quality of its academic programmes and research
initiatives, strengthening its position
in the digital sphere.
“This proactive stance has consistently earned AAUA
recognition as the Best State University in Nigeria over the past four years,
according to the prestigious Webometrics Ranking. While this accolade fills us
with pride, we view it as a stepping stone towards loftier aspirations on the
global stage.
“Our pursuit of excellence knows no bounds, and our ambition
is not only to be the best in Nigeria but to secure a prominent place on the
international pedestal. With this drive propelling us, we are resolutely
dedicated to elevating the quality of education, research, and innovation at
our university,” he said.
The don also stated that the 12th convocation lecture would
be delivered by the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of The Guardian
Newspapers, Lagos, Mr Martins Oloja. He would speak on the topic,
‘Internationalisation of university education for global relevance:
experiences, barriers, and prospects.”