VENUE: ABDULKADIR AUDITORIUM, NUC, ABUJA. DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION: ITS ROLE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES AND THE PLACE OF ACADEMIC PLANNING IN UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT A PAPER PRESENTED BY PROF. L. ALHASSAN BICHI MNIM DIRECTOR, ACADEMIC STANDARDS AT THE CODAPNU WORKSHOP FOR ACADEMIC PLANNING OFFICERS OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES. DATE: 12TH – 15TH JULY, 2011 VENUE: ABDULKADIR AUDITORIUM, NUC, ABUJA.

INTRODUCTION DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS The focal concepts in this paper are: The National Universities Commission; The Nigerian Universities, Academic Planning and University Management. The National Universities Commission and the Nigerian Universities as partners The paper is in three component parts designed to give credence to the overview of the Nigerian University System, the function of the National Universities Commission in relationship with academic planning system, the role of academic planning in the management of Nigerian University System. The concluding part articulates the challenges faced by the Commission in carrying out its mandate of University academic planning.

The National Universities Commission DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS The National Universities Commission (NUC) was established in 1962 and located in the cabinet office which function was essentially advisory. The Commission was reconstituted in 1974 by Act. No. 1 as a statutory body in order to give it the proper scope to perform its functions. When the Commission was reconstituted in 1974, its scope of activities was broadened. The primary objective of the Commission is to ensure the orderly development of University education in Nigeria and to maintain its high standard. Broadly, the functions are related to those of the co-ordination and development of Nigerian Universities. The Commission was further strengthened by Decree No. 16 of 1985 and Decree No. 49 of 1988 which empowered it to: “lay down minimum standards for all Universities in the Federation and to accredit their degrees and other academic awards after obtaining prior approval therefor through the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, providing that the accreditation of degrees and other academic awards shall be in accordance with such guidelines as may be laid down and approved by the Commission from time to time”.

THE OVERVIEW OF THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS THE OVERVIEW OF THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM Origin of Higher Education in Nigeria - the establishment of the Yaba Higher College by the colonial government in 1934. The need for more higher education institutions, the establishment of the Nigeria’s first university College – the University college Ibadan in 1948 which was an affiliate of the University of London. The appointment of the Ashby Commission by the Government of Nigeria in 1959 and the first generation universities. From 1975 to 1980 – establishment of the second generation universities Establishment of the seven universities of technology. Establishment of state universities between 1980 and 1992 Approval of take off nine federal universities in 2010 At present, the number of universities in Nigeria is 117, consisting of 36 federal universities, 36 state universities and 45 private universities.

DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION IN RELATION WITH ACADEMIC PLANNING SYSTEM Academic Planning System The key functions of academic planning unit are: Ensuring orderly, balanced and qualitative development of academic programmes at undergraduates and postgraduate levels in Nigerian Universities. Drawing-up and periodic review of guidelines for analyzing academic briefs and application for establishment of new academic programme and/or units in Nigerian universities. Collect and collate data on staff, students and facilities as well as recurrent expenditure in Nigerian universities to ensure compliance with standards and submission of same for inclusion into the NUC data bank. Provide the criteria for institutional accreditation in terms of the quality and conduciveness of the institutions physical environment to learning. Ensuring orderly development of academic programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Nigerian universities through analysis of academic briefs.

Role of Academic Planning in the Nigerian University System DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS Role of Academic Planning in the Nigerian University System The defined role of Academic Planning in the Nigerian University System dates back to the early 1980s when the Academic Planning unit was established by the National Universities Commission to coordinate academic activities and programmes in the Nigerian Universities, thus streamlining uncoordinated growth and development, as well as unnecessary duplication of courses by various teaching units of the universities. The Unit is expected to ensure compliances with the NUC’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards and university senate’s academic requirements by enhancing efficiency in teaching, learning and research in the university and to ensure dissemination and publication of relevant information.  

Role of the Academic Planning Unit DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS   The key functions of the Academic Planning Unit can be grouped into five categories: Planning; Quality Assurance ; Publications and Statistics ; Liaison ; and Strategic Planning

PLANNING DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS Preparation of university annual recurrent budget Projections of students’ enrolment figures, corresponding staff strength and distribution of students according to state of origin and sex for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Computation of full-time equivalent (FTE) for all programmes. Preparation of university calendar for stable academic delivery. Initiating the review of curriculum in line with trends in the academic world as well as working with faculties to prepare, review and monitor their academic plans and identify areas for and potential development.

DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS QUALITY ASSURANCE The Unit promotes quality of teaching, learning and research in the University through periodic evaluation of academic activities in the University in the following ways: Coordinating the preparation of Academic Brief and guiding units of the university on the operations of the Academic Brief. Periodic analysis of performance evaluation of academic programmes Analysis of student’s enrolment figures and ensuring compliance with guidelines such as admission quota, teacher /student ratio and science /arts ratio. Feasibility studies for the establishment of new academic programme(s); Use of data collected for making projections and advising the university as appropriate.

PUBLICATIONS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS PUBLICATIONS AND STATISTICS The Unit is responsible for the coordination and collation of information to NUC for National planning. It is responsible for: Maintaining data base on students and staff statistics for use in planning, budgeting, and other requirements. Periodic statistics to bodies like Federal Ministry of Education and National Manpower Board, Statistics output to individual researchers on demand. Periodic update and analyzing data from relevant university bodies for the internal evaluation of performance status of the university on all the NUC approved funding parameters and other guidelines. Publication of university records, statistics and research reports. Documenting and storing information on academic programmes of the university as well as student academic and personal records.

DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS Liaison The Unit is expected to liaise between the university and the regulatory body, in this context, the NUC. It seeks clarification from the NUC and professional bodies on academic matters and forwards same to the appropriate section of the university.

Strategic Planning DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS The universities are expected to have a strategic plan in place. The planning unit coordinates all the activities to ensure that every facet of the university community is represented in the decision making process. The document that is finally produced must represent the aspirations of the community. It is the duty of the planning unit to ensure that planning efforts are properly focused towards achieving the goals of the organization. The formulation of a plan starts with the design, environmental analysis, and review of vision/mission, establishment of goals, strategy development/options and plan development. The planning unit would have to guide the university at every stage of the plan development.

Quality Assurance in Nigerian University System DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, ACADEMIC PLANNING AND UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT Quality Assurance in Nigerian University System The quality assurance function of the National Universities Commission consists basically of the setting of Minimum Academic Standards (MAS) for all programmes taught in Nigerian universities and the accreditation of such programmes. Let us therefore consider these aspects of the Commission’s quality assurance measures as thus: The Setting of Minimum Academic Standards Programme Establishment Accreditation of Academic Programmes .

CHALLENGES DEPARTMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS Incessant Industrial Action on Campus. Lack of Uniform Academic Calendar Inadequate Funding of the System Lack of Infrastructure Satellite Campuses and Illegal Study Centres Submission of accurate and prompt information.

REFRENCE   Fafunwa, B. A. (1971) ‘History of Nigerian Higher Education’, London Macmillan Harvey, L. (ed) (1993) Quality Assessment in Higher Education: collected papers of the QHE projects: Birmingham: Quality in Education projects Miller, J. L. Tr. (1983) Strategic Planning as Pragmatic Adaptation Planning for Higher Education, Vol. 12, No. 1 (fall1983). National Universities Commission (1983) A Summary of the Minimum Academic Standards, Lagos. National Universities Commission (1999), the role of Academic Planning units in Nigerian Universities. Okebukola, P (2006) ‘the State of Nigerian Universities: Repositioning Higher Education in Nigeria’ Heinman Educational Books (Nigeria) Plc. Oliver A. I. (1965) Curriculum Improvement; A guide to Problems, Principles and Procedures. New York: Dodd Mead and Company. Okojie, J. A. (2010) Policy Directives at the System Level – NUC response over the years. Ramon Yusuf, S (2003) The role of the National Universities commission in Quality Assurance in Nigerian Universities Uvah, I.I (2002) the Functions of the Academic Planning Units in University Development. National Universities Commission (2004) ‘Service Charter, Servicom Handbook

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