No fewer than 42 students of Adekunle Ajasin Akungba Akoko, Ondo State graduates finished from the institution with first class out of 5,249 that would be conferred with a first degree in the forthcoming convocation ceremony for the 2020–2021 academic session of the varsity.
The Vice Chancellor of the AAUA, Professor Olugbenga Ige, stated this on Monday during a press conference heralding the 12th convocation of the university.
The VC boasted that the 42 graduates in the first-class category could hold their heads anywhere in the world, declaring that they had earned it.
Ige said, “A total of 5,249 graduands from the 2020/2021 set will be honoured this year. The faculty of education leads with 1,202 graduands, followed by science, arts, social sciences, administration and management sciences, agriculture, law, the institute of part-time, and the institute of education.
“A total of 180 graduands are receiving postgraduate degrees, with 24 in the PhD category. Of the graduating class, 42 achieved first class; 1,088 in second class upper division; 2,264 in second class lower division; and 605 in third class.
The don declared that first-class graduates of the university would be given automatic jobs in the institution when they complete their mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme.
He noted that despite the prevailing economic challenges in the country, the 12th convocation would be a testament to the institution’s commitment to benchmarks to be the best and most competitive institution globally, disclosing that over 10,000 students applied to study in various academic fields in the 2023/2024 academic year with just 6,300 slots given by National Universities Commission.
According to the don, the institution was filled with consistent efforts to augment its online presence and academic standard by prioritising the quality of its academic programmes and research initiatives, strengthening its position in the digital sphere.
“This proactive stance has consistently earned AAUA recognition as the Best State University in Nigeria over the past four years, according to the prestigious Webometrics Ranking. While this accolade fills us with pride, we view it as a stepping stone towards loftier aspirations on the global stage.
“Our pursuit of excellence knows no bounds, and our ambition is not only to be the best in Nigeria but to secure a prominent place on the international pedestal. With this drive propelling us, we are resolutely dedicated to elevating the quality of education, research, and innovation at our university,” he said.
The don also stated that the 12th convocation lecture would be delivered by the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of The Guardian Newspapers, Lagos, Mr Martins Oloja. He would speak on the topic, ‘Internationalisation of university education for global relevance: experiences, barriers, and prospects.”