The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved eleven new academic degree programmes for Nigerian universities as part of its efforts to modernise higher education and align it with global industry demands.
In a circular signed by the Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, the Commission announced that the newly approved programmes were developed under the 2023 Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), with contributions from experts across the Nigerian University System.
The statement noted that the new programmes target fast-growing and emerging disciplines including Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Nuclear Engineering, and Intelligence and Security Studies.
“The approval of these CCMAS programmes confirms the Commission’s ongoing commitment to strengthening quality assurance mechanisms, enhancing relevance, and aligning the educational ecosystem in Nigeria with emerging global trends,” the statement read.
The approved degree programmes include Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Health Information Education, Geomatics Engineering, Corrosion Engineering, Community Health Science, Intelligence and Security Studies, Islamic Economics and Finance, Parasitology and Entomology, Telecommunication Science, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Cooperative Economics and Management, Nuclear Science, and Nuclear Engineering.
The Commission directed all universities to circulate the CCMAS documents to relevant faculties and departments and ensure that their institutional components are developed in line with the new curriculum guidelines.
According to the NUC, universities intending to offer any of the newly approved programmes are expected to commence implementation in the 2023/2024 academic session, subject to a successful resource assessment visit.
