NSUKKA- There was wide jubilation and excitement at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, on Friday, following the unveiling of the 15th Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Charles Igwe.

Igwe emerged the VC of UNN on the 23rd May,2019 through a thorough process of screening which the Governing Council of the institution described as free, fair and credible.

Igwe who attributed his emergence to providence said he rose from the lowest rung of the administrative ladder nearly four decades ago to emerge the VC, assuring that his vision is to propel the institution to a first-class university that would be globally competitive, both in educational contents and pragmatic delivery of teaching, learning and research outcomes.He added that ” the university shall be technologically-driven,academically robust, and physically alluring; a university that promotes enterprise and entrepreneurial spirits; and a self-sustaining jewel of today and the future, using the United States’ “land-grants” model.“Indeed, I intend to use an integrated development model,anchored on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, to push the university to greater heights,” he said.

He equally promised to give students and staff welfare the priority it deserves, assuring that salaries and allowances shall be paid promptly and that promotions in all cadres would be handled expediously.The VC who bemoaned government’s poor funding of universities said his administration would explore other options to keep the university afloat.He said “Consequently, massive efforts will be deployed by my administration to to improve and diversity our funding sources. I commend the efforts being made to harness and harmonise all Internally approved sources of revenue in the university by the Governing Council.

However, we shall go beyond government sources and IGR to explore and harness other sources, such as endowment, donation, commercialised research outcomes and patents. We shall strengthen the Centre for Advancement; develop a database of our alumni at home and in the diaspora, donor agencies, foundations…,” he said.

He also promised to improve ICT facilities and power supply in the institution, pledging to collaborate with the Centre for Energy Research and Development, and Department of Physics and Astronomy of the university to address power challenges in the institution.He also pledged to boost infrastructural development in the university through public-private-partnership to attend to the ongoing and abandoned projects and also to enthrone maintenance culture of the facilities.

Igwe is the first alumunus of the institution to have emerged the VC. Before his emergence, he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) of the institution.