COOU Strengthens Academic Leadership with 2026 Onboarding for Heads of Departments and Directors

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) held its 2026 Onboarding Session for Heads of Departments (HoDs) and Directors on Monday, 2nd February 2026, as part of strategic efforts to enhance academic leadership and align departmental administration with the University’s vision for sustainable growth and global recognition.

The session convened HoDs and Directors from across the University to redefine departmental leadership within the framework of COOU’s guiding principles—Values, Viability, and Visibility (3Vs)—emphasizing their role in translating institutional vision into practical academic and administrative outcomes.

In her opening address, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, fnipr, underscored that departments are the core units through which teaching quality, research productivity, and student experience are evaluated. She stressed that effective leadership at departmental level is pivotal for building the Now University and the University of the Future.

The first presentation, by Prof. O. B. C. Nwankwo, Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, focused on the HoD’s academic responsibilities, highlighting curriculum coordination, staff mentoring, academic supervision, and maintenance of standards, while emphasizing intellectual leadership and accountability.

Rev. O. R. A. Okechukwu, Special Adviser to the VC on Administration and Statutory Meetings, addressed university administrative leadership, providing insights on statutory responsibilities, institutional processes, and ethics, stressing transparency, due process, and compliance in departmental administration.

Prof. Nneka Nnorom, Director of Academic Planning, discussed strategic, data-driven departmental planning to meet accreditation standards, national benchmarks, and global higher education trends, emphasizing proactive planning as key to sustaining programme relevance.

The digitalisation of academic operations was highlighted by Prof. JohnPaul Iloh, Director of ICT, who urged departments to integrate digital tools into teaching, research, administration, and communication to enhance efficiency and institutional visibility.

Finally, Prof. Osita Chiaghanam, Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, outlined strategies for building competitive and sustainable postgraduate programmes, focusing on supervision quality, advanced research, and positioning COOU as a hub of scholarly excellence.

The session concluded with remarks reaffirming the collective responsibility of HoDs and Directors to drive institutional effectiveness, disciplined leadership, and informed decision-making in advancing COOU’s strategic objectives.