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Pan-Atlantic varsity admits 86 at maiden matriculation

By Ujunwa Atueyi
21 January 2015   |   11:00 pm
THE Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos has admitted no fewer than 86 students into its undergraduate programmes for the 2014/2015 academic session.   Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Juan Manuel Elegido said the first ever matriculation of undergraduate programmes will mark a significant step in the university’s journey towards becoming a full-service institution of higher…

Elegido22-01-15THE Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos has admitted no fewer than 86 students into its undergraduate programmes for the 2014/2015 academic session.

  Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Juan Manuel Elegido said the first ever matriculation of undergraduate programmes will mark a significant step in the university’s journey towards becoming a full-service institution of higher learning.  

  He expressed delight that despite the challenges associated with establishment of new university, which previously taught only postgraduate programmes, the institution was able to launch its undergraduate programmes at its new campus at Ibeju-Lekki on 17 November 2014. 

  He said, “To start off in this new direction, the university has begun with only three programmes and 86 students. This was paying off in terms of the personal attention to the students and quality of lectures for the programmes. 

  “It has also helped in the preservation of the university’s culture. One incident, which encapsulates this, was a student who expressed surprise when a lecturer apologised for being five minutes late to class. The university also had been able to keep to its promise of having at least 15 per cent of its students on scholarship.”

  Speaking on the infrastructural development, he said that already three buildings of very high standards (two students’ hostels and the main gate) had been completed and in addition, five more buildings would be completed this year. 

  “These were an 11,000m2 academic complex, three hostel buildings and the main utilities building. The utilities building would house the generators currently required to provide 24-hours power supply as the university was yet to be connected to the power grid, the water treatment plant and the sewage treatment plant.  

  He further noted that during the course of the year, construction of five more buildings will commence. These would be an academic complex to accommodate the proposed school of Science and Technology, a museum and three more hostels. 

  Acting Dean, School of Media and Communication, Dr Mike Okolo, who expressed joy that the undergraduate programme of the institution has eventually taken off with 86 pioneer students. He assured that teaching and learning at PAU will be very holistic as the institution is poised at bringing out knowledge merchants as evident in its postgraduate products.

  On the experience in handling younger students he said, “We are not using the same mind-set, handling students at undergraduate level is completely different from students at postgraduate level. We pre-empted this and have developed strategic plan on how to manage them.”

  On his part, the Director, University Development, Mr. Frank Wiggle, who revealed that 85 per cent of the university funding is from corporate companies and individual donors who have the interest of the country at heart, stressed that emphasis is on churning out quality graduates to dominate in the Nigerian workforce.

  Director, Student Affairs, Kingsley Ukaoha, remarked that so far the students has been groomed on ‘Living Responsible Freedom.’ “We have dress code, a relaxed but not outrageous dressing. It is not a strict regimentation but we give students reasons why they should not do certain things and they know there are consequences for every choice made.”

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