Conflict Between Varsities, Professional Bodies Threatening Autonomy – Ex-BUK VC

A former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas has mentioned that the battle between Nigerian universities {and professional} our bodies is threatening college autonomy within the nation.

Abbas acknowledged this whereas presenting a paper on the impression and battle between skilled our bodies and universities on the 2026 Retreat of the National Universities Commission with Vice-Chancellors of all Nigerian Universities holding on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, exterior educational rules slender the college’s statutory capability and straight impression college autonomy the place exterior necessities decide educational choices.

He cited cases the place skilled our bodies prescribe who ought to educate programs, saying “we have places where they are saying all their courses must be taught by medical doctors. This is in direct conflict with the autonomy of the university.”

Abbas famous that the Senate in universities has statutory powers over curriculum, educating, evaluation and educational requirements, however direct exterior prescription bypasses the constraint established by educational course of.

He lamented that some skilled our bodies insist on being unbiased of the NUC and go on to departments to instruct them to do issues which typically contradict what’s established by NUC and by the Senate.

To resolve the battle, Abbas proposed that skilled our bodies ought to channel their necessities by means of the NUC, by means of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

He additionally proposed exploring the 70-30 window within the Nigerian college system, the place skilled our bodies can inject their inputs into the 70 p.c portion by means of the NUC, and in addition method universities for the 30 p.c.

The former VC proposed a “before training and after framework” the place skilled our bodies carry of their applied sciences, ethics and follow enter by means of NUC and CCMAS earlier than coaching.

“During training, this is exclusive to the university and NUC. During training, professional body is not supposed to be in. It is a responsibility by law for the university to teach, for the university to assess,” he mentioned.

According to him, after college students purchase their levels and are out of the college, it turns into the unique protect {of professional} our bodies to register them, license them, deal with ethics, self-discipline and steady skilled growth.

“There is a huge difference between a degree and a license. A degree is not equal to a license to practice. License to practice is exclusive,” he pressured.

He beneficial harmonising the legal guidelines, adopting coordinated accreditation course of, defending the 30 p.c, separating educational qualification from skilled accreditation, and establishing a everlasting NUC-University-professional physique coordination settlement.

Earlier, declaring open the Retreat, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad counseled the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu and his Management Team for resuscitating the NUC custom after so a few years.

She mentioned the theme of the Retreat, ‘Enhancing Regulatory Compliance, Governance, Leadership, and Partnership in the Nigerian University System’, is extremely applicable and forward-looking.

Ahmad mentioned University techniques everywhere in the world are drastically being influenced by synthetic intelligence, digital studying, information analytics, digital laboratories and altering funding fashions, including that adoption of synthetic intelligence have to be accompanied by consideration to educational integrity, ethics and information safety.

She charged Vice-Chancellors to function inside established governance constructions, entrenched due processes and prioritise transparency and accountability in monetary administration, procurement, recruitment, promotion, admissions and examinations.

In his handle, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Ribadu mentioned the Retreat supplies a worthwhile platform to pause, replicate, have interaction frankly and collectively think about the way forward for University training in Nigeria.

Ribadu mentioned the Commission beneath his management has continued to strengthen its operational pointers, together with the event of latest Guidelines for the Award and Use of Honorary Doctorate Degrees with sanctions for defaulting Universities.

He mentioned the Commission has additionally launched Post Matriculation Monitoring and Carrying Capacity Visit to Universities with a view to bettering the standard of admission processes.

Ribadu mentioned high quality assurance in increased training is pushed internally and externally and Vice-Chancellors as Chairmen of Senate play crucial roles both approach.

He urged universities to embrace digital applied sciences in educating, studying and administration, disclosing that the Commission has developed and deployed the e-NUC as a transformative digital platform designed to automate its total workflow.

The spotlight of the occasion was the launch of the Benchmark Statements on Student Support Facilities and providers in Nigerian Universities.