One hundred and ninety five students will bag first class honours degree at the 33rd convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA for the 2020/2021academic session holding between 10th and 18th November 2023. Briefing Journalists on Friday 10th November 2023 the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, said no fewer than 3,000 students will be conferred with first degrees with Miss Oluwanifemi Favour Olajuyigbe of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering graduating as the overall best student with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.93.
Giving a breakdown of the class of degrees, she said 195 finished in the First Class Division, 1510 with Second Class Upper, 1515, Second Class Lower, 254 Third Class and 2 in the Pass Division. According to her, the university will be conferring Postgraduate Diploma, Masters and Doctoral degrees on 1, 806 graduands. 229 would be awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), 940 with Masters Degrees, 86 with Master of Business Administration, 61 with Postgraduate Diploma in Management and 490 with Post Graduate Diplomas.
Professor Oladiji said that the week-long ceremony which begins on Friday 10th November, 2023 will climax with the Award of first Degrees, Post graduate diplomas, Masters Degrees and Doctorate Degrees on the 17th and 18th of November 2023.
She disclosed that a major highlight of the events will be the Convocation Lecture with the title, “Knowledge and Research: The Foundation of Prosperous Economy ,” which will be delivered by Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy on Wednesday ,November 16,2023 at the Obafemi Awolowo Auditorium FUTA by 3PM.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that, “quite a lot of development is ongoing through provision of material and non-material support – lecture theatres, laboratories, hostel accommodation, roads, books for the libraries, ICT infrastructures, electricity and alternative energy some of which will be commissioned for use in the course of the convocation ceremony.” She also said the new FUTA School of Professional Development has taken off offering courses in many fields targeted at enhancing the manpower development in core areas of need in the country.
She also added that new academic programmes have been introduced as part of efforts to broaden and deepen the impact of the university in the society and this also includes approval for the take-off of the Open and Distance Learning programme in Computer Science and more short term courses in the Centre for Continuing Education.
She said the University under her watch has continued to make giant strides in teaching research and community service saying FUTA has retained her position as the country’s best University of Technology and best specialized institution in recent rankings by major ranking institutions with the University securing 3rd position in the Times Higher Education 2024 ranking and respectable placement in the AD index Research impact ranking.
“The University, through the Centre for Research and Development (CERAD), has attracted and managed over One Billion Naira (N1,000,000,000) national and international research grants between 2021 – 2023, involving scholars and postgraduate students. The University continues to provide manpower for other universities with the recent being the appointment of Professor Shadrach Akindele as the Vice Chancellor of Redeemers’ University Ede. We will continue to consolidate on our niche as a research intensive University with national relevance and global outlook,” the Vice Chancellor said.
Also speaking the Chairman, Ceremonials Committee, Professor Eunice Adeparusi said arrangements for a hitch free event have been put in place with appropriate security cover and in the area of traffic control and commuter movement. She expressed optimism that the convocation ceremony will run without any glitch.
