Odumegwu Ojukwu University hints at new innovation, to issue certificates during convocations

From Idu Jude, Abuja

The Vice-Chancellor of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, Prof. Mrs . Kate Azuka Omenogha, has revealed that the University will soon begin issuing degree certificates on the day of convocation, while also prioritizing digital transmission of transcripts to avoid delays.

The innovative idea, the VC noted, comes amid a plethora of bottlenecks job seekers face due to delayed release of results and transcripts.

The VC, who spoke exclusively through Dr Chukwunonso Ekesiobi, the newly appointed University Alumni Relations Officer, highlighted that the university will soon become the first Nigerian University to issue degree certificates on the day of convocation.

He added that the reasons for these innovations are that the world is going digital, and in fact we have gone beyond the world going digital, but the world is moving at a very fast pace as far as technology is concerned, especially with the emergence of artificial intelligence. So what immediately come in the mind in the Alumni department is how they can take advantage of the emerging technology to help the students in the areas of ensuring how to get reference equipment from the university, especially as it concerns academic transcripts and certificates. And this is a challenge in most higher institutions in the country. And since the coming of the first female Vice- Chancellor of the university, we have been having that challenge, and instead of sitting down, the institution sat to deliberate and carry out an organizational review where we called in independent assessors to help know the university’s weaknesses, whether the school can be classified as best in the country, and one of their recommendations is that the school is still analogue. And that is to say that 90%of administrative work in the University is done through paper processing.”

She said these reasons led the university to constitute a committee that will transition it from an analogue to a digital university. And one of the fallouts is digitalizing most of its activities.
“As it relates to the alumni community, one of the major challenges is how to get the results as soon as one graduates to help secure jobs. Either for future studies within or outside the country, or for confirmation for job placements requiring their original certificate. So, as we speak, over the past one and a half years, the committee has begun the digitalization of over fifty-five thousand (55,000) academic records, which was before now was on paper.

The VC informed that what this means is that, by the time this data is converted to digital, graduates from the institution can sit in the comfort of their house to apply for their results and transcripts, as is done abroad, and it gets there in a matter of hours.
Meanwhile, the VC said the University will soon sign a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a courier company that will be involved in delivering such documents while the university is perfecting its digital systems. ” With this, we are trying to cut down the waiting time and the delay. With this, we see no reason why one would apply for a certificate and fail to get it within a week, and the same thing with transcripts. Not only about trying to digitalize the issuance of certificates online, but we are also trying to be the first to kickstart the issuance of results on the day of convocation, and it will be unprecedented in Nigeria for a government university to kickstart this. As that is to say that the university would have a template that, once any graduate needs it, it will be replicated; that is how it is done all over the world”.

Dr Kate Omenugha further remarked that the move is in pursuit of the three ‘Vs’ of the university, which include values, viability, and Visibility, which makes the institution more morally responsive for students and alumni. To make it viable, to ensure that the university is financially stable on its own and also to ensure that the university is viable and can compete among the top ten universities in the country.

“The program we are bringing is a template from the UK because I did my PHD program on scholarship there, and this is how things are done.

Meanwhile, the VC, while admonishing the Abuja Alumni chapter, warned that every Aluminus should quickly join the chapter to start benefiting from the innovation. She promised that the days are gone when students are late process of their referral materials.

On the election of new executives, Engr. Emezuom Ugochukwu was re-elected with 38votes as the President, to beat Mr. Stanley Ezenwa, who secured 3 votes Miss Amaka Makowulu was the office of Vice- President securing 39 votes.

Dike Mirabelle was elected new Secretary General, while Dennis Smart Edogor is to serve as Assistant Secretary General.

The Alumni’s new Financial Secretary is Chizoba Odidika, who also stood unopposed, while Ngozi Cynthia is to serve as her Assistant.

Chinyere Akabugo was, however, elected to serve as Publicity Secretary and Social Media Manager, while Samuel Michael is to serve as Assistant.
To serve as Provost is Williams Ifeanyi (30 votes)
Collins Okonkwo, Welfare Officer, is Keyna Dike. Event manager is Peter Anataogu, while his Assistant, is Jennifer Okonkwo

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