Two hundred and fifty-six First Class degree holders will be graduated by the University of Ilorin during its 39th convocation ceremony, which holds from 21 and 22 October.
According to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, who addressed the media on Thursday, The 12,042 students in all would graduate during the ceremonies.
According to Egbewole, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the upcoming convocation is a significant milestone, with graduates from various faculties, including Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine, set to receive their degrees.
He said: “For the 39th convocation ceremonies, the university shall be graduating a total of 12,042. In the First Degree/Diploma category, we have 256 First Class, 3,842 Second Class (Upper Division), 6,178 Second Class (Lower Division), 1,299 Third Class and 62 Pass.
“The 39th convocation ceremonies also include 124 MB/BS graduands, 64 nursing graduands, 35 optometry graduands, 30 veterinary medicine graduands, 18 graduands with distinction and 85 graduands with pass in pharmacy, 1 distinction and 32 pass in physiotherapy.
“We have a total of 16 diploma degree holders. Furthermore, the total number of higher degrees to be awarded at the 39th convocation ceremonies is 1,875; out of this figure, there are 92 postgraduate diplomas, 1,280 masters from various faculties, 179 professional masters, 1 MPhil and 323 PhDs”.
The Vice Chancellor also highlighted university strides in digital innovation, with the migration to Amazon Web Services to enhance data security and reduce downtimes. Other advancements include the introduction of a scalable Enterprise Resource Portal, a digital admissions ranking system, and an automated system for student union elections.
“The University of Ilorin has made remarkable progress in its digital transformation journey, which has enhanced efficiency, security, and accessibility in our operations”, Egbewole added.
He noted the university’s achievements in research, including the revival of the N200 million Senate Research Grant, and its 20 patents and innovations. The institution’s LABTOP Centre also received recognition at the Inaugural Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices awards in Nigeria.
“Additionally, UNILORIN is expanding its international collaborations in veterinary research, plant breeding, and stem cell research. In agriculture, the university is working with Broad Grains Limited on mechanised farming training and partnering with Oriental Energy Farms to cultivate 4,000 hectares for maize and soybean production.
“One of the international academics who strengthened our teaching and research capabilities was Professor Ramar Krishnamurthy from Uka Tarsadia University, India. Presently, he is collaborating with our university to grow a brand of rice that does not need to be in water to survive. The rice is expected to be produced in commercial quantity very soon”, he further said.
Egbewole reaffirmed the university’s commitment to becoming a leader in higher education in Nigeria adding, “Our desire to be No. 1 in Nigeria is on course. We are taking deliberate steps to position ourselves for global ranking”.
