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Academic and Administrative Structures
The development of the Academic and
Administrative structures and programmes as well as the philosophy,
objectives and strategies of the University has benefited immensely from
the extensive and informative consultations with over forty
Universities/agencies worldwide.
The contacts were particularly valuable
because the operations of these organizations, which had been carefully
selected on merit, have been acknowledged globally to be at the cutting
edge of industry-based academic, research and development activities.
Such institutions spanned virtually all the continents across the globe.
In line with the developments in the great
majority of the above institutions and given the technological focus of
the University as proposed, along with the bodies of knowledge identified
earlier, the academic structure selected for AKUTECH allows for six
Schools of Engineering, Schools for Agriculture and Forestry and for
Fisheries and Fisheries Technology, as well as an institute of Management
and General studies.
The Organogram for the University, shown in
figure I, presents both the academic and administrative arrangements in
an integrated manner which reflects and emphasizes the interaction
envisaged between the University and the public and private sectors of
the economy.
For example, it ensures effective
cooperation between the University and Industry, resulting in benefits
which include:
a.
The catalytic effect of R and D on
industrial development;
b.
The derivation of substantial funding for
the University.
Features of the administrative structure
which are unique and innovative within the Nigerian National University
System include the arrangement by which all Schools (including each of
the Engineering Schools) have related Graduate Schools which are attached
to them. The Schools report individually to Senate as do the Graduate
Schools. Other innovations include the establishment of Deputy Vice
Chancellors for Student Affairs and International Affairs and Industrial
Cooperation, along with a DVC for Development, Planning and Management
Control. These positions are additional to the usual DVCs for Academic
Affairs and Administration. The technical aspects of the administrative
processes are executed in a cluster of ten Directorates which are headed
by experts designated as Directors.
The academic structure of the University
allows for the following academic units:
-
School
Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Information Technology:
-
School of Mechanical, Materials and
Manufacturing Engineering
-
School of
Chemical/Petrochemical Engineering and Oil Technology;
-
School of
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering;
-
School of
Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering;
-
School of Engineering Science;
-
School of
Agricultural and Forestry
-
School of Fisheries and Fisheries
Technology
-
Institute of Management and General
Studies.
The academic work in these units is pursued
in collaboration with the research and development programmes of fifteen
research institutes of which nine are engineering based. Two of the
institutes operate in the areas of agriculture and forestry, while five
deal with the programes related to fisheries and fisheries technology.
The establishment of Schools and their
semi-autonomous status with regard to their responsibilities to Senate is
already a standard feature of the leading Universities worldwide which
share the same orientation and focus as the present University. Among the
many advantages of the system is the higher degree of accountability and
responsibility which it imposes on the Schools, as well as flexibility in
the design and execution of dynamic teaching and research programmes.
This facilitates the effective response, in real time, to industrial and
economic trends.
Provisions have been made for five DVCs, as
indicated above, in line with the decentralization policy which is
characteristic of modern University administration in technological
research-driven Universities with strong industrial linkages. The
arrangement dispenses with three “Principal Officers” which are usually
considered mandatory in conventional University administration. These are
the Registrar, Bursar and the Librarian, who are now replaced with career
technocrats who operate under the policy supervision of appropriate
Deputy Vice Chancellors.
These technical experts are, respectively,
the Director of General Administration, and the Director of Finance, both
of whom report to the Vice Chancellor through the DVC(General
Administration), as well as the Director of Library Services, who is to
report to the Vice Chancellor through the DVC ( Academic Affairs and
Research ). This latter DVC maintains strong links with the schools, the
Graduate Schools and the research and development agencies attached to
the University. These arrangements have been put in place to sharpen the
essentially academic and research thrust of the University. In addition,
they ensure that the technical details of administrative and technical
management remain in the hands of seasoned technocrats who all discharge
their responsibilities under the policy guidance articulated by the Vice
Chancellor and the DVCs.
The elevation of the status of the officer
in charge of students’ affairs to the level of a DVC, emphasizes the
importance accorded to students. This is particularly appropriate for an
innovative technological University where final year undergraduates,
along with research staff, interact with industry to solve industrial
problems. It also enhances the effectiveness of the office whose DVC, as
a renowned academic, would be in a position to command the respect of
outside interests such as those which are the responsibility of the
national security and related agencies.
The role of the DVC ( Development, Planning
and Management Control) is readily identified from the designation, Apart
from ensuring the availability and informative analysis of appropriate
data for long-term strategic academic planning, as well as effective
resource management, the appointment of a seasoned academic to this
position is expected to facilitate the organization and delivery of
academic programmes and industrial research and development consultancy
projects to be executed by the University.
ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS OF THE AKWA IBOM STATE
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
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