Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has scored another first in the country with the international accreditation of four of its programmes run by Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), by Agency for Quality Assurance System (AQAS) even as the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako commended Professor Kayode Akinyemi, the Director of CEADESE and his team for the great feat.
The programmes accredited, being the first of their kind in any public university in Nigeria and for which FUNAAB has been issued with Certificate of Accreditation are:
M. AgSE Livestock Science and Sustainable Environment; M. AgSE Crop Pasture Production and Sustainable Environment; M. AgSE Agriculture Economics and Environmental Policy and Ph.D AgSE Agricultural Economics and Environmental Policy.
The Certificate of Accreditation dated 26th of February, 2019 and signed by the duo of the President of the Board (AQAS), Prof. Dr. Eberhand. Menzel and Managing Director, Dolris Hermman, indicated that “The accreditation procedure and the resolution are based on the standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)”.
It added, “The programmes complied with the AQAS criteria for programme accreditation and is in compliance with the requirements defined by the ESQ”.
Similarly, in a letter titled, “Decision of the Accreditation Commission 26 February 2019”, signed by Senior Consultant AQAS, Ronny Heintze and addressed to Professor Akinyemi, also informed of the programmes accredited.
Director CEADESE, Professor Kayode Akinyemi saying we are getting there
Shedding light on the accreditation, Director CEADESE, Professor Akinyemi said it was a two year process that involved several stages of documentation.
According to him, the stages are: Self Evaluation Stage; Gap Assessment; Site Visitation by International Panel and Consideration by International Accreditation body.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Salako has congratulated and thanked CEADESE Director, Professor Akinyemi and his team for a good job.
Professor Salako in his congratulatory message made available to FUNAAB Bulletin said, “First, I thank God for the achievements of CEADESE, particularly since March 1, 2018 when Professor Kayode Akinyemi was appointed Director”.
He stressed that, “Professor Akinyemi has proved to be a round peg in a round hole, more so being the leader of the team that won the ACE Project for FUNAAB in 2014”.
Professor Salako added, “I remain grateful that his appointment was upheld by NUC and the World Bank. We worked with the same staff who were with the Centre prior to my emergence as Vice-Chancellor and Professor Akinyemi as the Director but we were able to turn things around for better by building trust and demanding commitment from each of the staff involved. I am grateful to all staff of CEADESE for their cooperation”.
The Vice-Chancellor also thanked the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, his staff, Dr. Atta, World Bank, Association of African Universities (AAU) staff, particularly Ms Aisha Muhammed and Professor Jonathan Mba for their unflinching support.