UI’s PAULESI Undergoes Major Postgraduate Accreditation by NUC Panel
The National Universities Commission has deployed 26 experts across eight accreditation panels to evaluate postgraduate programmes at the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute, hosted by the University of Ibadan.
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NUC Moves to Strengthen Quality in UI PAULESI Postgraduate Programmes with Accreditation Visit
The National Universities Commission has deployed 26 academic and professional experts across eight accreditation panels to assess postgraduate programmes at the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute, hosted by the University of Ibadan.
The accreditation exercise, which underscores Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining quality assurance in higher education, covers key postgraduate disciplines designed to strengthen research and innovation capacity across Africa.
According to a Deputy Director at the NUC, Uchenna Obidiagbo, the eight panels were carefully constituted to evaluate the following programmes:
- Plant Breeding
- Medicinal Plant Research and Drug Development
- Petroleum Geoscience
- Avian Medicine and Vaccine Production and Quality Control
- Reproductive Health
- Sports Management and Policy Development
- Environmental Management
- Mineral Exploration
The panels are expected to determine whether these programmes meet national accreditation standards and global best practices in postgraduate education.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Kayode Adebowale, described the exercise as a milestone, noting that it is the first accreditation exercise for postgraduate programmes at PAULESI since its establishment.
He emphasized that accreditation serves as a critical benchmark for universities to evaluate themselves against international academic standards.
> “Accreditation exercises enable universities to measure themselves against global standards and best practices,” he said.
Adebowale also expressed confidence that the process would provide a framework for continuous improvement in postgraduate education across Africa. He assured the accreditation teams of full institutional support throughout their work.
The Vice Chancellor further explained that PAULESI emerged through a competitive selection process under the vision of the African Union Commission to strengthen science, technology, and innovation across the continent.
He noted that the institute is designed to produce highly skilled researchers capable of addressing Africa’s pressing developmental challenges.
Similar institutions, he said, have been established in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, and Cameroon, with Nigeria serving the West African sub-region through the University of Ibadan.
Speaking on behalf of the accreditation panels, Prof. Saleh Ado, who led the Reproductive Health team, stated that the exercise was aimed at verifying compliance with NUC guidelines and academic standards.
He described the accreditation mission as a collaborative effort between evaluators and the university community.
“The accreditation exercise is important for quality assurance and maintaining academic standards in Nigerian universities,” he noted.
He added that the process would help strengthen programme quality and ensure continued alignment with both national expectations and international benchmarks.
The accreditation visit highlights a broader effort to reinforce quality assurance mechanisms within African higher education institutions. By subjecting its postgraduate programmes to rigorous evaluation, PAULESI and the University of Ibadan reaffirm their role as key contributors to research, innovation, and human capital development on the continent.
The outcome of the exercise is expected to further shape the direction of postgraduate training and research excellence within the institution and beyond.
