Education

‘RSU Has Fulfilled Dreams Of Founding Fathers’

Published

9 years ago

June 5, 2017

The Rivers State University (RSU) has brought to fruition one of the dreams of its founding fathers, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Blessing Didia, has stated.
Speaking during the official commissioning of the institution’s Centre of Excellence in Marine and Offshore Engineering at the Amphitheatre, RSU, Port Harcourt, Didia said that the vision of the founding fathers to establish an entrepreneurial university has come to manifest reality, with the new focus of the management in pursuing programmes that emphasise innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and skills development.
Didia said the investment by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, operator of the NNPC/Shell/Total, Agip Joint Venture in ensuring that Rivers State University was positioned as a one-stop-shop in developing industry-ready offshore technical personnel in West Africa and beyond was the best decision ever made by any corporate body in the state.
The vice chancellor explained that the idea of establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Marine and Offshore Engineering was conceived following the donation of about 120 specialised Marine and Offshore Engineering books and modern Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory Equipment by SPDC in 2007.
He stated that the establishment of the CoE in Marine and Offshore Engineering by the oil and gas giant in Nigeria was in fulfilment of a long dream by Rivers people to have a pool of trained manpower that would tackle problems of the state’s peculiar ecology and difficult environment.
According to him, the university has as one of its objectives, “to produce scientific and technical manpower of various levels needed for essential development,” adding that the establishment of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Marine and Offshore Engineering at the university was well conceived in line with the dreams of the founding fathers.
“The university is the first in Nigeria to offer a degree in Marine Engineering, and to produce the first African Professor of Marine Engineering in the person of Professor Kelvin Datonye Bobmanuel,” Didia explained.
While assuring SPDC that the RSU’s management was fully committed to the proper ultilisation of the centre, Didia promised the provision of conducive environment for the realization of the vision of the project, and advised the Marine Engineering Department to demonstrate competence in the handling of the equipment and other facilities at the centre.
Also speaking, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Executive Secretary, Simbi Keseye Wabote, expressed satisfaction with the equipment provided at the CoE, adding that the centre would boost capacity in the industry, and reduce youth unemployment in the region.
Wabote restated the board’s focus on ensuring oil and gas contracts are given to companies and individuals within the area where hydrocarbons activities are highly concentrated, adding that it also encourages synergy between the industry and the academia for the development of the region’s economy.
He noted that there has been significant improvement in the university since he graduated 28 years ago, while charging the vice chancellor to invite all the alumni to a convention to brainstorm on ways of assisting the institution to grow.

Education

IAUE Trains HODs, Deans Ahead of NUC Resource Verification

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Academic Planning Unit of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, has organized a Pre-Resource Assessment Workshop for Heads of Department and Deans as part of preparations for the forthcoming NUC Resource Verification exercise.

The workshop held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Postgraduate Hall of the University. It drew professors, deans and HODs from across faculties.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, the University Librarian, Prof. Emmanuel Okwu, welcomed principal officers and other participants. He described the session as critical to ensuring the University’s readiness for the NUC assessment.

Prof. Okwu stressed that the exercise was not routine but a strategic step toward meeting national standards. He urged participants to take the presentations seriously and implement recommendations in their departments.

The Director of the Academic Planning Unit, in his welcome address, said the workshop was designed to assess the level of preparedness of departments ahead of the verification. He noted that the University had already invested significantly in facilities and staffing and was now awaiting the NUC team.

Three resource persons took participants through key aspects of the verification process. The Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Joseph Kinanee, spoke on “NUC Resource Verification and Their Requirements.”

Prof. Levi Doe Kalagbor, Director of Quality Assurance, addressed “The Role of Staff in Successful Resource Verification Exercise.” Prof. Isaac Ogundu, Dean of the Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, presented on “NUC Scoring Format/Guide and Its Implication for Approval Status.”

The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session. Participants sought clarifications on documentation, facilities and staffing ratios, and received detailed responses from the facilitators.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Okwu thanked everyone for their active participation and engagement. He expressed optimism that IAUE would record a successful outcome in the upcoming NUC resource verification. The programme ended with a closing prayer and refreshments.

Education

UNIPORT VC Hails Postgraduate School Over Planned International Conference

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Chike Princewill, has commended the School of Graduate Studies for initiating an international conference, describing it as a timely move to boost research output, academic excellence and the University’s global visibility.

Prof. Princewill gave the commendation on Friday while receiving members of the conference planning committee set up by the School. The delegation was led by the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Doris Adameh.

He applauded the committee for conceiving the project and urged members to pursue it with diligence and strategic planning. According to him, such academic gatherings are critical to positioning UNIPORT as a hub for cutting-edge research in the region and beyond.

The Vice-Chancellor specifically charged the committee to engage the University’s alumni as strategic partners in the execution of the conference. He noted that their networks, experience and resources would add significant value to the event.

Prof. Princewill further directed the team to reach out to former postgraduate students of the University to solicit their support and cooperation. He said their involvement would help ensure wider participation and a more successful hosting.

He stressed that alumni remain vital stakeholders in the University’s growth agenda. “Their contributions can significantly enhance the success of the event and strengthen our academic and research profile,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, Prof. Adameh said the committee was constituted by the School of Graduate Studies to plan and deliver an international conference that meets global standards. She noted that the process was already underway.

Prof. Adameh explained that the conference is designed to bring together scholars, researchers and professionals from across the world. The goal, she added, is to advance knowledge exchange and foster academic collaboration that will benefit both the University and the wider scholarly community.

By: Amadi Akujobi

Education

Education Commissioner hails RSU’S growth research as key to rivers development

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended Rivers State University, RSU, for its resilience, academic growth and research contributions, describing the institution as critical to the state’s socio-economic development.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during an official visit to the University in Nkpolu-Oroworukwo. He held talks with principal officers, provosts, campus heads, deans and directors at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building.

The Commissioner said the visit was to engage the University’s leadership on consolidating gains and strengthening capacity for quality teaching, cutting-edge research, innovation and community service. He noted that RSU occupies a strategic position in the state’s development agenda.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, Dr. Nwagor said education remains the bedrock of human capital development and economic transformation. He stressed that investments in infrastructure, staff development and digital learning must be matched with strong institutional systems, transparency and measurable outcomes.

He urged the University to prioritize key performance indicators such as accreditation performance, research output, internally generated revenue, student outcomes and graduate employability. According to him, these metrics should drive continuous improvement across faculties.

Dr. Nwagor also charged RSU to accelerate its digital transformation, establish research and innovation hubs to solve real societal problems, and maintain existing infrastructure. He advised management to explore sustainable funding through grants, endowments, alumni engagement and strategic industry partnerships.

The Commissioner emphasized that government and the University must play complementary roles. While government meets its statutory funding obligations, he said, the institution must strengthen internal efficiency and pursue legitimate private-sector collaborations.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, appreciated the State Government for its sustained support. He highlighted last year’s budgetary intervention for accreditation, approval of funds for the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Film Festival slated for November 2026, and the implementation of the new minimum wage for RSU staff.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi, however, drew attention to pressing challenges. He cited shortages of teaching and non-teaching staff ahead of accreditation exercises, inadequate classrooms, libraries, equipment and office spaces, and acute accommodation deficits for staff and students.

The Vice-Chancellor appealed for support to recruit more personnel, retain retired academics on contract, and engage sabbatical and adjunct lecturers. He also requested funding for NUC and professional accreditation scheduled for October, stressing that successful outcomes are vital to RSU’s competitiveness. He reaffirmed management’s commitment to work with government to position RSU as a leading centre of knowledge, research and innovation.

By Amadi Akujobi