FEATURED NEWS
Ihejirika Plans Big For Communication, Media Studies Faculty
- Details
- Published: 05 February 2022
By Ethel Timi-Johnson
Interim Dean of the newly-established Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Professor Walter Ihejirika, has diclosed plans to lay a solid foundation for the new Faculty.
Speaking during an interview with a Uniport Correspondent in his office on Thursday, November 25, 2001. Professor Ihejirika noted that the new Faculty which is one of the pioneers in the country would be positioned to make the University proud as Communication and Media studies is one of the most subscribed programmes in Nigerian Universities. "We now have the possibility of training more students in this area. As Interim Dean I would make sure we lay a solid foundation that others would build on employing such yardsticks as the National Universities Commission (NUC) regulations and bench marks, international best practices, partnership with related national and international organisations", he said.
Professor Ihejirika further disclosed that the Faculty which kicked off with four new Departments of Broadcasting, Journalism and Media Studies, Film and Multimedia Studies, Public Relations and Advertising, already has a staff strength of 30 academic and support staff, seven non-teaching staff in addition to adequate facilities for smooth take off of academic programmes while awaiting the NUC Resource Verification Exercise. "Non-certificate programmes have already being advertisied and admission is ongoing. It is also significant to note that the new Faculty has requested that the communication and film programme already running in the University and domiciled in the Faculty of Humanities be relocated to this Faculty where they really belong", Professor Ihejirika stated.
Reiterating the need to relocate the postgraduate programmes in Communication and Film Studies formally domiciled in the Departments of Linguistics and Communication Studies and Theatre and Film Studies to the new Faculty, the interim Dean added that there would be a gradual demerging of programmes in line with Senate recommendations. "This means that the communication component has been excised from the Faculty of Humanities to form the new Faculty of Communication and Media Studies", Professor Ihejirika revealed.
Describing the Faculty as a trail blazer in the area of Communication and Media Studies, the Interim Dean commended the Vice Chancellor for the approval for a permanent Faculty building as well as supporting the smooth take-off of the Faculty. "There are challenges associated with building a Faculty from ground zero. We have challenges of finance, refurbishing studios, ICT facilities and the library; we need more academic, technical and secretariat staff. We are encouraged by the assurances of the University Management and promise that we will not let them down", Professor Ihejirika stated.
