Gabriel Dike
Novena University, Ogume, Delta State which recently received a grant of $66,000 to run a research on the prevalence of diabetes disease has been given approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to further develop its College of Medical Sciences and in some areas up to Ph.D in Public Health.
The vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Godwin Nduka, who spoke during a media parley said: “The NUC after a successful verification visit of the institution’s human and material resources, has approved medical, Law and postgraduate programmes for Novena University.
“Novena University has also got the NUC approval to run its College of Law. The university equally achieved 100 per cent in the last accreditation exercise carried out by the NUC.”
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According to him, the Ph.D approval under Public Health, covers Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health and Safety, Hospital Administration, Environmental Health, and Community Health.
Nduka said: “Novena University is now running programmes in School of Basic Medical Sciences, Doctor of Optometry (OD), Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacology, preparatory to transition to Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Dentistry, as enormous resources are pouring in to give the students adequate and internationally standard quality education.
“The postgraduate programmes approval consolidates the initial programmes in the postgraduate school which will now offer PGD, M.Sc. and Ph.D in Intelligence and Security Studies, specialising in Cybercrime and Information Security, Criminology and Forensics.
“Other postgraduate programme are Terrorism, Policing and Security, Fraud Investigations and other departments, as Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Sociology, Mass Communications, Political Science, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry.”
The VC, while explaining the institution’s quest in meeting with its mandate of complementing the public universities, pointed out that Novena University had continued to expand its frontiers in the provision of unique programmes introduced in Nigerian university system.
He added: “Novena came into this industry with a mind set to help the youths who hitherto had been frustrated and unable to get admission slots in Nigerian public universities.
“With our recently-signed international Memorandum of Understanding with Virginia International University, USA, for teaching partnerships, academic collaborations, students and staff exchanges as well as local programmes delivery, Nigerian youths are in for the best.
“Moreover, considering the giant stride of the institution, Delta State government in its commitment to building a healthy state and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for the youths, has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Novena University for the use of its medical facilities for students’ training.