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The Vice Chancellor, Delta State University, Abraka Professor Andy Egwunyenga has attributed the prevailing academic stability in the University to conscious effort to address the welfare needs of the university.

Prof Egwunyenga spoke on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 while fielding questions from Journalists during a press conference to brief members of the Media on the line up of activities for the 15 convocation ceremony of the institution.

Egwunyenga  believed that the academic stability in the University can also be sustained for the obvious fact that the State Government is determined to ensure that agreements are being met, even when they will be anxious and ready to implement new ones should there be any development to that effect with a view to sustaining the academic stability.

“As a Vice-Chancillor, I am persuaded that a lot of welfare issues in dispute between our Union, theAcademic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government, many of the issues are settled here in our University.

“You know that the last protracted strike, the major part of it was what was called earned allowences and earned allowences are being paid here in our university and we have been doing that for a very long time as excess workload.

“So when an issue, which has been settled in a particular University, it is in the wisdom of the congregation of that university to feel that we are a good example of how resources should be and for that reason in their own collective decision they felt they would not be part of the strike.

“But that does not detract from the fact that we all believe in our Union, we believe in ASUU, any academic staff, successful person in academic who runs down or begin to feel that ASUU has not  played a role is not being realistic or truthful.

“ASUU of our University believes in the principles of our Union and  our academic stability is because welfare needs of the University are all being addressed. It is sustainable because it is also in the interest of Government to ensure that agreements are met. Should there be any development in terms of new agreement, I believe that Government will be anxious to ensure that they are implemented here to sustain the academic stability.

“I do not think any body, organization is capable of crucifying ASUU, I take a exception to that. ASUU is a very strategic strong partner and it will remain a part of the system,” Prof. Eqwunyenga maintained.

He revealed that the ranking of the University  has improved appreciably over the past four years, saying it  had risen from the 78th position to the 53rd, 33rd and currently 27th among the over 200 Universities in Nigeria in the latest global ranking by Alper-Doger Scientific Index.

Prof Egwunyenga added that the University is currently ranked the 4th best among the 50 State Universities in Nigeria and the best in the South South and South East geopolitical zones.

The Vice Chancellor further stated that another highly recognized global Universities ranking body, Webometrics, in its latest ranking, placed DELSU in the 129th position among the 2087 Universities in Africa and the 24th best among the over 200 Universities in Nigeria.

He attributed the impressive ranking to the University’s verified Google Scholar Citations, pointing out that DELSU recorded 56,443 citations, well ahead of some notable Universities in the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Turkey, Portugal, Canada, among other advanced countries.

Prof Egwunyenga said effort to place DELSU in the global ranking platforms was a product of the deliberate and strategic leadership focus of the current management, under his watch, on repositioning the University towards becoming a globally recognized citadel of research, teaching and learning.

The Vice Chancellor stated that for the first time in the 31-year history of the University, the National Universities Commission (NUC) granted approval for full accreditation of the 40 academic programmes presented to it, in one fell swoop, in the November/December 2022 Accreditation Exercise.

While revealing that all the 80 programmes in DELSU now had full accreditation status, the VC announced that the institution had been granted approval by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to raise its admission quota for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme from 75 to 120, recalling that the admission quota was 50 when he assumed duty in 2019.

The renowned academic said this was to reduce the difficulty that qualified students from Delta State and other neighboring states faced in seeking admission to study Medicine and Surgery in DELSU.

While  expressing his gratitude to the University’s Visitor and Governor of the State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his unwavering support in funding the University, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, for his inspiring leadership and for creating an enabling environment for the University Administration to discharge its responsibilities in line with the University statue, Prof Egwunyenga also acknowledged the contributions of other distinguished members of Council and commended the management and staff of the University for their unwavering determination to reposition the institution for national global recognition.