The University of Abuja said on Tuesday that it had received approval to begin new faculties in the institution, which are the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
The university noted that it had also entered into an agreement with a Chinese company to begin a programme in Railway Engineering.
The UNIABUJA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, stated these during a press conference with journalists, noting that the new faculties and programme are to make the students of the institution “globally competitive.”
The VC said, “We must compete as a country and explore the advantages of the 21st century. We are introducing foreign languages and making them compulsory to at least pass a foreign language. The senate will very soon approve of this requirement that you cannot graduate from the institution if you have not passed one foreign language.
“Part of the reasons why some foods are expensive is because of the cost of transportation. So, the rail system is one that ensures availability of goods across the country. We are going to begin a programme on Railway Technology, not the colonial locomotive railway. We are partnering with a Chinese company. We are going to work with the National Universities Commission in the design of the syllabus.
“The Information and Communication Technology is at the centre of this Railway Engineering. The Public-Private Partnership unit is working on some applications and in a month or so, construction may start on our campus.”
The VC added that the university would embark on an admission campaign to states that had a few numbers of students in the institution to ensure that every part of the country is fully represented in the school.
Source: Punch
