By USMAN ALIYU

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved six new full-time undergraduate programmes and additional postgraduate courses for the University of Benin (UNIBEN), effective from the 2026/2027 academic session.

Dr Benedicta Ehanire, Public Relations Officer of the university announced this in a statement on Saturday in Benin.

The university’s spokesperson said the approval followed the successful resource assessment of the proposed programmes by the commission.

Ehanire said the development would further strengthen UNIBEN’s position as a centre of excellence in manpower development.

Two of the newly approved undergraduate programmes, he said, were Bachelor of Science degrees in Speech Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

The programmes align with the policy initiative of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, aimed at training skilled manpower to address the shortage of professionals in both fields within Nigeria’s healthcare sector,” she said.

She noted that other undergraduate programmes approved by the NUC were Bachelor of Science degrees in International Relations; Intelligence and Security Studies; Bachelor of Education in Primary Education, and Bachelor of Nursing Science.

The nursing science programme, she said, would be offered in collaboration with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

She explained that the university’s Centre of Excellence in Space Science Technology and Application had also received approval to offer Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees in Remote Sensing and Aeronautics Engineering.

The university’s spokesperson noted that the Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, expressed appreciation to the NUC for the approval.

She said the vice-chancellor reiterated the institution’s commitment to sustaining its position as a leading hub for manpower training and development through diverse and extensive academic programmes.

Omoregie, she asserted, said the university would continue to strengthen its academic offerings in response to national development needs. (NAN)

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