The proposed Fortress University at Iwo by the Academy of Islamic Propagation (ACADIP) had a new development as the Academic Brief Drafting Committee unveiled courses in the meeting held a few weeks ago.
The Journey of this proposed University started on the 6th of January 2019 in the city of Oshogbo the Osun state capital where all ACADIP members around the world collectively resolved to establish a private university where numerous fields of human endeavours will be taught.
Academy of Islamic Propagation which is the sponsoring organization of this proposed university has been in existence for over 28 years enlightening the public on what Islam is and what Islam is not within and outside Nigeria.
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ACADIP has been actively engaging in interfaith dialogues fostering peaceful coexistence among people of diverse faiths and tribes with membership-based spanning across the six continents of the world.
The proposed University shall be located at Iwo, Iwo local government area of Osun State.
A brief about the place that will host this University which is Iwo.
Iwo is a rich agricultural area with a distance of about 445 kilometres from Ibadan and Oshogo. Iwo has an area of 245 square kilometres with a population of about 191,348 making it the most populous local government in Osun state according to the 2006 national population census.
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It reached a cultural Advantage making it a major trading centre for Cocoa Kola nuts foodstuffs yams meat and timber. The popular Odori Market in Iwo attracts traders from within and outside the state. Iwo is also strategic because the railway track from Ibadan passed through the town, it helps the commercial and economic development of Iwo and other towns within the local government area.
The proposed Fortress University will be sitting on 325 acres of land at Ayede in Iwo, Osun State of Nigeria.
The mission of this proposed institution shall be to produce skillful and self-reliant graduates who will illuminate the world with the required Technical and godly knowledge.
The vision:- a world where groundbreaking research works are used to serve Humanity. a world where Interfaith dialogue is used as a tool for peaceful coexistence among people of diverse faiths and tribes. a world where piety becomes the watch world for the attainment of eternal bliss.
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Fortress University will be a conventional University where all feats of human endeavour will be taught however the focus will be;
– Comparative religion otherwise known as Interfaith dialogue and conflict resolution
– Information and communication technology vis-à-vis telecommunications, networking, programming, information security, artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things, Cloud technology
– Medicine – Islamic Orthodox and alternative.
Last year, ACADIP informed the world that a group of Scholars were drafting The Fortress University academic brief. The committee was said to be scholars and professors drawn from different higher institutes of learning. The committee is expected to come up with an unprecedented roadmap in Fortress University academic brief with Innovations and courses to be offered.
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These Scholars are committed to producing an academic brief that seeks to bridge the gap between classroom theoretical works and practical real-life experiences.
There are three basic documents that you must have in order to have a university;
- The academy brief.
- The master plans.
- The university laws.
The academic brief deals with the curriculum. That is, what curriculum are you going to operate?
The academic brief committee sat and the programme was anchored by the former Vice Chancellor of FUTMINA, Prof Musibaudeen Akanji who is a two-time vice Chancellor anchored the academic brief committee. Prof Akanji has also pioneered one Islamic faith-based University.
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Professor H.O.B Oloyede who is the Chairman of the Academic Brief Committee has pioneered two Islamic faith-based Universities. Professor Oloyede was the foundation of the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Fountain University Oshogbo.
He was also the foundation Vice-Chancellor of the Summit University of Offa, so he is used to pioneering University. He has assembled a team that is vast in all aspects of university academic life and administration.
The proposed Fortress University planning committee has had several engagements with the National University Commission (NUC) and the first approval was given on the 16th of September 2021.
The National University Commission (NUC) has what we called the BMAS – Basic Minimum Academic Standard which has been reviewed to meet the global standard. It is now called the CCMAS – Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard.
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In 1989, the National University Commission, in collaboration with the universities and their staff, developed minimum academic standards for all the programmes taught in Nigeria.
In 2022, the National Universities Commission (NUC) reviewed the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards, BMAS, for universities, revising it to Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, CCMAS.
The Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards for the Nigerian University System (CCMAS) is a fairly recent attempt by the main regulator of the higher education sector in Nigeria, the National Universities Commission (NUC), to broadly standardise the teaching and delivery of undergraduate courses across Nigerian Universities.
The implication is that the CCMAS will provide 70 per cent of what should be taught along with the expected outcomes, while the universities will provide 30 per cent based on their individual contextual peculiarities and characteristics.
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One of the cardinal requirements of NUC is that a private university must be 60 per cent science courses and 40 Humanities courses.
All programs in Nigerian universities have been grouped into 17 disciplines. There are also discussions with the NUC to ensure the submission is done.
The Academic Brief Drafting Committee have prepared 70 CCMAS as required by the National University Commission (NUC). Also, 30 per cent of the courses are being drawn across the globe/world curriculum is being looked into so as to submit to NUC and get approval for all these courses for the first stage. Each program has requirements you must have before it can be approved by the NUC.
Below is the list of some courses outlined for the proposed Fortress University, Iwo (FUNI);
Faculty of Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Space Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Electronics Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronic Engineering
- Telecommunication Engineering
Faculty of Computing
- Cyber Security
- Data Science
- Information Technology
- Software Engineering
- Computer Science
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Faculty of Arts
- Arabic
- History and International
- Islamic Studies
- English and Literature
- Religious Studies
Faculty of Agriculture
- Agricultural Business
- Agriculture Extension
- Animal Science
- Fishery and Aquaculture
- Forestry Resources and Wildlife
- Horticulture and Landscape
Management Science
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Business Information
- Finance
- Marketing
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Faculty of Sciences
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Environmental Management and Toxicology
- Industrial Chemistry
- Industrial Mathematics
- Statistics
- Physics with Electronics
- Physics
- Chemistry
Faculty of Management, Science/Economics
- Criminology and Security Studies
- Economics
- Peace studies and conflict resolution
- Political science
- Psychology
- Sociology
The listed courses and some others are being drafted and to be submitted to the National University Commission (NUC) for approval soon.
The proposed Fortress University (FUNI) of the Academy of Islamic Propagation (ACADIP) led by the chief lecturer Alhaji Yusuf Adepoju will be located at Iwo-Ikonifin Road, Ayede, Iwo, Osun State.