FEATURED NEWS
Mechatronics Dept Ready For NUC Resource Verification
- Details
- Published: 24 January 2017
Ahead of the anticipated visit of a team from the National Universities Commission to the emergent Department of Mechatronic Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering for Resource Verification of the new programme, Acting Head, Dr. Tobinson Briggs, has restated the readiness of the Department to host the team.
Speaking in a chat with our Correspondent in his office last Wednesday, the Acting Head of Department disclosed that apart from the need to purchase some new equipment to bolster the discipline, all other requirements as stipulated by the NUC for the running of the programme were already in place, preparatory to the eagerly-awaited exercise.
“We are expecting the NUC team for the Resource Verification of our programme in the first quarter of this year. Already, we have made our submission on the issue to the NUC through the Academic Planning and Control Unit of the University. I can assure you that the basic things required of us for the exercise are firmly in place. All we need to do now is to acquire some new equipment to add to the ones on ground and then embark on renovation of our building to enhance its aesthetic appeal in time for the arrival of the team. The last time we presented our programme for external evaluation was about three years ago, when we commenced the programme,” the Acting HoD revealed, expressing satisfaction that the Department would scale the hurdle.
Dr. Briggs described Mechatronic Engineering as a relatively new specialisation in Nigeria that has multiple applications, disclosing that even Lecturers were properly evaluated to ascertain their level of preparedness to handle the subject that is already making great strides in Western Europe and Asia. “Mechatronic Engineering is tough because it is a new field that combines three disciplines; namely: Mechanical, Electronics and Communication Engineering. Mechanical devices are controlled with electronic or artificial intelligence and linked to Information and Communication Technology in its application.
“It is the combination of the sub-disciplines listed above that makes the subject difficult and that is the reason we went ahead to allocate courses shortly after the Second Semester examinations of the last academic session. The idea was to allow our Lecturers enough time to prepare very well before we convened the Academic Board Meeting to evaluate their level of preparedness for the 2016/2017 academic session. It should be noted that our course content is totally in line with the NUC Benchmark which we strictly followed, and even improved upon in our curriculum design,” the Acting HoD told our Correspondent.
Dr. Briggs further disclosed that a partnership proposal with some industry partners was ongoing to train high-level manpower in Mechatronic technology, expressing optimism that when finally achieved, the anticipated partnership would assist the undergraduate students in their workshop and practical laboratory exercises.
