The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Egbewole, has revealed that the institution’s Faculty of Law currently has the highest number of Ph.D. holders among law faculties across Nigeria.
Egbewole remarked on Monday, June 16, during a postgraduate retreat organised by the Faculty of Law at the University Auditorium Basement, describing the milestone as both impressive and reflective of the faculty’s academic excellence.
Egbewole, a professor of Jurisprudence and International Law, encouraged academic staff to reposition their teaching and research efforts, urging them to align postgraduate programmes with societal needs for greater relevance and impact.
He advised the faculty to develop its curriculum in ways that would inspire students to pursue doctoral degrees, thereby deepening intellectual growth and promoting lifelong academic engagement.
The Vice Chancellor also praised the retreat as a significant initiative aligned with the University’s broader agenda to enhance the effectiveness and quality of its postgraduate education
He stressed the importance of timely programme completion, warning against unnecessary extensions and emphasising that postgraduate programmes must deliver value without delays.
In her opening address, Professor Nimah AbdulRaheem, Dean of the Faculty of Law, described the retreat as a critical opportunity to rethink the structure and supervision of postgraduate programmes to meet modern academic expectations.
She highlighted the need for standardising the MPhil/Ph.D. framework, improving research methodologies, and ensuring consistent supervision practices across departments to keep the faculty competitive on a global scale.
The Dean of the Postgraduate School, Professor Bamidele Owoyele, echoed similar sentiments, calling for regular curriculum updates, integration of artificial intelligence, and strict supervision standards to uphold the institution’s academic integrity.
Owoyele also advocated for specialised legal postgraduate degrees in areas like Environmental, International, and Intellectual Property Law, praising the Law Faculty’s strong LL.M. and Ph.D. enrolment and its role in securing UNILORIN’s selection for the elite TETFund Academic Staff Training programme.
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