NUC approves architectural redesigning of all varsities structures

In response to new educational transformation, and the effort to solve accommodation issues in Nigerian Universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved in principle the upgrading of architecture study from department level to full-fledged faculty level, in all Nigerian universities.

The Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Adamu Abubakar Rasheed, who announced the approval, in a speech at the ongoing ‘2018 Architects Colloquium’, in Abuja, Tuesday, explained that the approval was based on a request made to the commission by the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

Professor Rasheed disclosed that very soon a one-day retreat would be organized for academic and professional leaders in the architect profession to finalize the curriculum for the proposed faculty, after

which the message would be conveyed to all Nigerian universities for implementation.

Represented by the Acting Director, Student Services of the Commission, Mrs. Maryam Sabi, the Executive Secretary noted that the new policy would uplift the profession to the next level, improve the study of architecture in Nigerian universities, while graduates of that profession would be better off.

“I came to inform the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved, in principle, the request for the upgrading of architecture study from

departmental to faculty level in the Nigerian universities.

Very soon a one-day retreat would be organized for academic and professional leaders of the profession on the finalization of the curriculum for the proposed faculty, after which the message would be conveyed to all universities for implementation”.

He therefore advised leaders and professionals in the field to embrace new initiative and see it as a new way of upgrading their delivery of the curriculum for Nigerian university students, so that they can measure up with their counterparts at the international level.

In an interview, the President of ARCON, Arc Umaru Aliyu, noted that the new policy would increase the production of architects, just as it would equally create more jobs and wealth in the country, Aliyu pointed out that Nigeria requires about 18,000 architects to meet its developmental needs, but frowned that the number of architects in the country at the moment, is below 5,000.

Also speaking, the president of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Arc Festus Adibe Njoku, said it is a very welcome development, noting that it is a new dawn in the architect profession in Nigeria.