The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State, Prof. Mohammed Khalid Othman has pledged to implement recommendations arising from the accreditation exercises conducted by four separate teams from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The accreditation teams were at the university to assess the human and material resources available for the effective delivery of four academic programmes namely; Nursing Science, medicinal chemistry, petroleum chemistry, and geology.
Prof. Othman, who received the exit reports from the respective teams, described the accreditation exercise as an important component of the University’s commitment to maintaining academic excellence and strengthening institutional capacity to ensure that its programmes meet the prescribed requirements of the NUC.
He explained that FUDMA is undergoing a transformation aimed at repositioning its academic programmes, improving teaching and learning facilities, and strengthening its institutional structures towards achieving its vision of becoming a world-class citadel.
Prof. Othman expressed appreciation to the accreditation teams for their thorough assessment, professionalism, and constructive engagement with the university community.
He noted that the exercise had provided an opportunity to identify areas of strength as well as aspects requiring further improvement in the delivery of the programmes.
He assured the teams that management will carefully review their observations and recommendations and take appropriate steps towards addressing the identified gaps in the best interest of students, staff, the university, and the nation at large.
The Vice-Chancellor further emphasised that the University regarded accreditation not merely as a regulatory requirement but as an opportunity to strengthen academic quality, improve institutional performance and ensure that graduates possess the knowledge and competencies required to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Speaking on behalf of the teams responsible for Medicinal Chemistry and Petroleum Chemistry, Professor Sani Gumel of Bayero University, Kano, commended the University for the efforts made to provide the resources required for the effective delivery of the programmes.
He disclosed that the team examined several areas, including programme philosophy and objectives, academic regulations, admission requirements, past examination question papers and marking schemes, skills, staff-student ratios, staff development, library resources, safety facilities and institutional collaboration.
According to him, the team also assessed physical facilities, including staff offices, laboratory equipment, and machinery, noting that the facilities inspected were adequate in several respects.
Professor Gumel’s remarks highlighted the importance of sustaining existing strengths while continuing to improve the resources and conditions necessary for effective teaching, practical training, and research in the two programmes.
The team leader for Geology, Professor Tareshima Najime of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, expressed satisfaction with several aspects of the programme but identified areas requiring further attention, particularly the provision of additional physical textbooks in Geology, the development of a students’ handbook and improved oppotunities for staff development.
He stressed the importance of strengthening these areas to enhance students’ learning experiences, improve access to relevant academic materials, and support the professional development of academic staff.
In his remarks, the team leader for Nursing Science, Professor Babayo Muhammad Tukur of the University of Maiduguri, said his team assessed the personnel and facilities available for the programme, including those provided at hospitals designated for students’ clinical and practical training.
The facilities visited included Dutsin-Ma General Hospital, Turai Yar’adua Specialist Hospital, and Federal Teaching Hospital.
Professor Tukur commended the university for the efforts made in establishing and supporting the programme but called for further improvements in laboratory equipment and personnel to strengthen practical instruction and clinical training.
He emphasized that adequate staffing and well-equipped training facilities were essential to producing competent nursing graduates capable of meeting professional standards and contributing effectively to healthcare delivery.
In their respective presentations, the accreditation team leaders collectively advised the university to strengthen budgetary provisions for the affected programmes and departments to facilitate the implementation of their recommendations.
They also underscored the need to improve safety infrastructure, particularly the provision of adequate fire-extinguishing equipment and other relevant safety facilities, to ensure a secure teaching, learning, and research environment.
The recommendations further highlighted the importance of sustained investment in academic resources, staff development, laboratory infrastructure, and library materials as critical components of quality assurance in higher education.
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