Gabriel Dike
In spite of global economic recession and dwindling faith in the efficacy of the nation’s education system, Babcock University (BU), Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State has pledged to raise and sustain the bar of academic excellence and leadership training.
Addressing newsmen on the forthcoming activities to mark the double celebrations, President/Vice Chancellor of BU, Prof Ademola Tayo is optimistic that providing cutting-egde education and skills to empower her graduates remain one of the visions of BU.
According to him, the celebrations means 60 years of nurturing great minds as higher institution and 20 years of global recognition in pioneering private university education in Nigeria, noting that BU has grown in student population from seven in 1959 to over 10,000 today as well as over 12, 000 alumni.
His words: ‘’The university has produced the best graduating students from the Nigerian Law School for more than two consecutive years and in 2018, produced the best student in Accounting in Nigeria.’’
Prof Tayo said besides Law and Accounting, BU remains top university in Medicine and Nursing and top ten in Computing Engineering and Social Work. He explained that for over two decades, it has significantly contributed to national socio-political, industrial and cultural development through innovation and inventions in Sciences, Medicine, and Technology.
‘’We could not have achieved this feat without parental support and partnership because you are one of our greatest assists,’’ said the VC.
While reiterating his resolve not to compromise on the university’s values as an experienced global brand, the VC disclosed its commitment to enhancing learning experience through total classroom digital revolution learning through improved internet bandwidth, more access to Wi-fi, and provision of the Samsung Galaxy tab E (2015) for all students as well as delivery of e-learning programmes to boost access to formal education.
The VC stressed that BU’s novel educational strategy of integration of faith and learning, gives her graduates an extra advantage in the global market and meet the growing demand on employee deliverable and productivity.
He added: ‘’Today, we fulfill our responsibility to human capital development by aspiring to make the World a better place than we found it when this institution was established.’’
Tayo stressed that beyond academic excellence, BU runs its own Independent Power Project (IPP) which ensures uninterrupted power supply and raised the bar on residential and infrastructural development.
The BU helmsman revealed that the institution has multi-stories Centre for Distance Learning as well as the 600-seater multi-purpose Auditorium for the Ben Carson Senior School of Medicine situated in the Babcock University Teaching Hospital Complex.
He said in recognition of these qualities, the university received and maintained the Educational Brand of the Year (education category) for four consecutive years 2015-2018, by the global non-profit organisation, World Brand Forum (WBF), noting ‘’this placed its amongst other global brands marked annually at a star-studded event at London’s Kensington Palace, UK.’’
Prof Tayo described BU as the first accredited private university in Nigeria, first tertiary institution among over 114 Adventist-owned universities globally to run programmes in Law and Medicine in sub-Sahara Africa, first university to clinch the World Branding Forum’s best brand award for the fourth time, recognised institution for performing arthroscopic ligament reconstruction in its teaching hospital in the country, produce first class graduates at the Bar exams from the Nigeria Law School, 5 per cent highly-rated universities in Africa in research. awarded patent for research in sweet potato flour for food and confectionery.
‘’We have 100 per cent success rate at the professional exams for Medical students and the first in Nigeria to get all courses accredited within the first four years of establishing its medical school.
‘’Our 38 programmes are accredited both nationally through the National Universities Commission (NUC), and internationally through the Adventist Accrediting Association, (AAA) and International Board of Education, (IBE).
‘‘In 1999, BU commenced with three schools and 109 students. Twenty years later, there are nine schools including a College of Postgraduate Studies and a College of Health and Medical Sciences. By the 2020/2021 academic session, two additional programmes would be added: the School of Health and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Distance Learning,’’ he explained.
The VC said BU students in 300 and 400 levels take compulsory entrepreneurship course and that agriculture is mandatory for all students, operate the cheapest school fees, CCTV cameras on campus, offers scholarship to indigent students from the communities and conducted open surgery on about 500 indigenes.
Chairman, Planning Committee of the 60/20 anniversary, Prof Sunday Owolabi said the celebration will be a week-long programme, starting from September 14 to 21. They include spiritual beginning, anniversary lecture, long service award to staff and corporate and donor awards.