Proposed Millennium-Crest University receives NUC’s second verification team
* Stakeholders excited, optimistic about quick take-off
* Proposed university dear to Ikare-Akoko community – Olukare
* We’re on the right track – Planning & Implementation Committee Chair
* We commend your courage in daring to dream – NUC team lead
The proposed Millennium-Crest University, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, has hosted the second verification visit of the National Universities Commission (NUC) ahead of the commission’s approval.
The NUC verification team was led by the Acting Director, Establishment of Private Universities, Barrister Samuel Adejoh.
Receiving the NUC team on behalf of other key stakeholders at the proposed university’s take-off campus in Akure, Ondo State, the Chairman of the Planning and Implementation Committee, Prof. Joseph Olorunda, commended the unwavering commitment and invaluable support of the NUC team. He appreciated their guidance and direction throughout the process and assured them that the confidence reposed in the team would not be misplaced.
He informed the team that in furtherance of its resolve to make modest contributions to the revitalisation of university education in Nigeria, the Millennium Group of Schools, a conglomerate of like minds, decided to establish a university that seeks to carve a niche for itself as a citadel of learning designed to provide well thought-out, forward-looking and contemporary academic programmes in an environment that fosters love, unity, and tested virtues of integrity, hard work, high moral and ethical standards, in pursuit of academic excellence.
Prof. Olorunda said the university is intended to be a compact university predicated on the attainment of quality in all ramifications pursuant to
the attainment of its tripartite functions of teaching and learning, research, and community service.
“We have resolved and determined that the proposed Millennium-Crest University shall be an epitome of the
best traditions of academia where its graduates and research outputs would compete favourably with their
contemporaries from all parts but developing at its own pace. The experience and expertise of the individuals assembled to develop and expand the vision of the University will chart an appropriate course for the balanced development of the university.
“In tandem with its vision, the goals of the university include enhancing academic quality; preparing students for a rapidly changing world; advancing innovation; promoting research and scholarship; instilling global competence and leadership; fostering community, equity, and diversity; and improving
institutional effectiveness.
“The Millennium-Crest University shall contribute directly to global prosperity through collaborative research,
innovation, entrepreneurship and productive partnerships and engagements, and take pride in demonstrating these values using academic and extra-curricular activities.
“Our regulator, the National Universities Commission, has provided the minimum standards that the proposed
university must observe and follow during the process of planning and implementation of higher institution
standards. We have been making frantic efforts to implement all the requirements since the first visit of the
NUC to both the permanent and take-off sites.
“In accordance with the directive of the NUC at the first visit, the University physical facilities can admit one thousand students at present, while the auditorium capacity can accommodate 650 students. We have at present seven laboratories for the teaching of basic sciences, we have in addition to this
five practical laboratories and demonstration skills studios for professional-based programmes in health sciences, computing and Information Technology.
“We have installed two interactive electronic boards to our two seminar rooms. Our take-off library has a reading space that could accommodate 250 students while our ICT centre presently houses spaces for over 260 students. We planned to construct more classroom accommodation both at the permanent and this take-off within the next 1-3 years before the graduation of
the initial first set of undergraduates.
“We have also signed a memorandum of
understanding with the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo to use their well-equipped infrastructural
facilities which can house over a thousand students for the next five years. This will address the surge for
student admission into the proposed university,” he stressed.
The Planning and Implementation Committee chairman also told the NUC team that the proposed University has a very strong financial base and that all the stakeholders are fully committed to it up to its maturity state.
“Our capital projection for physical infrastructure at the permanent site ranges from nine hundred and fifty
million to three billion for the next five years. Our teaching and research funding projection also ranges from
five hundred million to one billion naira for the next five years.
“The board of trustees and management of the proposed University would leverage on the use of technology
to promote learning in the institution. The proposed university currently has in the approximate of three hundred functional computer units at the ICT building and at the department levels. The mode of learning will
be 80% physical and 20% hybrid especially for the non-clinical programmes,” the Professor added.
He further explained that a 25-year period of academic development broken into three phases has been planned for the proposed university, saying that at the end of the 25 years, it is planned that all faculties, departments and programmes of the proposed university shall be in place.
“The University shall at its full growth, after 25 years of establishment, have the full compliments of 71 departments and 79 undergraduate studies and full fledge school of postgraduate studies. Thus, at full maturity (25 years after its establishment), the proposed university shall have 12 faculties, 91 departments and 359 academic programmes comprising 103 undergraduate
programmes, 128 master’s degree and 128 PhD programmes. The proposed university intends to commence academic activities as soon as the institution and processes are approved by the National University Commission and the Federal Executive Council,” he noted.
In his remarks, the NUC team lead, Barrister Samuel Adejoh, particularly hailed private involvement and investment in university education in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for education development in the country.
He lauded the management of the proposed Millennium-Crest University for the development that has taken place since the first visit.
On behalf of the Commission and the Federal Government, Barr. Adejoh commended the Planning and Implementation Committee and other critical stakeholders for their “courage in daring to dream.”
The NUC team lead took his time to appreciate them for agreeing to partner with government to enhance access to university education, saying “The proposed Millennium-Crest University project is dear to our heart.
And it is gratifying to note that your team has worked assiduously to carry out recommendations that have been made, even from the first visit.
“Let me conclude by saying that this team will do all within our power to encourage you, to assist you, and to see to it that your vision for the proposed university comes to fruition sooner than later.”
He equally assured the Olukare of Ikare-Akoko who was eager to see the commencement of the university as soon as possible that the government is still committed to enhancing access to university education, adding that the dream of the monarch will not be scuttled.
Another member of the team, Prof. Philomena Ozo-Eson, explained that the private involvement in university education became imperative owing to the growing number of admission seekers and the limited spaces in public universities.
“And because of that, the government has continued to encourage individuals and private organisations that are interested in establishing universities to do so,” she added.
Prof. Ozo-Eson, who advised owners of private universities not to see it as a money-making business but as a passion to give back to the society that has produced them, also encouraged them to always engage qualified and competent lecturers to do the job.
Earlier, in his goodwill message, the Olukare of Ikare-Akoko, Oba Akadiri Momoh, lauded the NUC team for their due diligence and emphasised that the proposed Millennium-Crest University is dear to the heart of the community. He assured them that the Ikare community would continue to provide the necessary support to ensure its timely approval.
The monarch, who was represented by High Chief Lawrence Adubiaro, told the team, “We need this university very urgently, and we want you to do everything within your power to ensure that it commences this year.”
The three-day verification visit, which began on Thursday, concluded on Saturday, with the NUC team inspecting all necessary facilities at the take-off campus.