By Israel Adamu, Jos
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, has announced that 97 academic staff members have been promoted to the rank of professor since 2021.
Professor Ishaya made this known while addressing newsmen during his 3rd year in office at the Senate Chambers of the university.
“We have promoted 97 academic staff members to the rank of professors so far,” he stated.
The Vice Chancellor revealed that between July 2023 and December 2024, over 345 academic and non-academic staff have benefited from various training programs initiated by the university management. He noted that:
– About 120 academic staff received training, with two undergoing overseas training.
– Over 100 non-academic staff members also participated in training during the same period.
Professor Ishaya, the 10th substantive Vice Chancellor of the university, assumed office on December 1, 2021. He expressed his administration’s commitment to improving the university’s academic standards while fostering equity, transparency, and accountability.
“We are truly committed to actualizing our mandate by prioritizing staff and students’ welfare,” he assured.
He also highlighted key achievements under his leadership:
– Established academic calendars.
– Created two new faculties.
– Introduced over 20 new academic programs that are currently awaiting National Universities Commission (NUC) resource verification.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the university currently has 70 out of its 75 programs fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), reflecting a 93.3% accreditation rate compared to 57.3% at the beginning of his tenure in 2021.
The University of Jos has made significant strides in research, collaborating with various Nigerian universities and inter-university centers. One major development includes the creation of a DNA-based indigenous COVID-19 vaccine titled SJN3T CorVac Jos, funded by TETFund and supported by institutions such as NARICT, NIMR, NVRI, and others.
The university also won nine TETFund NRF research awards out of 32 concept notes submitted in the 2023 NRF grant cycle. Notably, this represents nine out of 185 TETFund NRF awards distributed to Nigerian universities in 2024.
Additionally, the Department of Theatre and Film Arts received a grant titled *Wake the Flies: Humanitarian Crisis in Plateau State, Nigeria* from Hessen Film and Medien, Frankfurt. The grant is valued at €25,000 and will focus on funding young talents.
The university also secured funding from the National Communications Commission (NCC) for a research project titled Smartware Technology-Based Security and Privacy Awareness Solutions for Mobile Device Users in July 2024.
On sporting developments, Professor Ishaya disclosed that the university is in advanced stages of preparation to successfully host the 27th Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) in 2025.
With these advancements and achievements, the leadership at UniJos is working toward ensuring the institution maintains its standards of academic excellence, research innovation, and infrastructural growth.
