The University of Abuja, UniAbuja, has disclosed plans to introduce Railway Engineering as an academic programme in its Faculty of Engineering, saying that the institution will be the first university to offer such a specialized branch of study in the country.
The university’s Dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Abubakar Kari made the disclosure while speaking with PRNigeria at the university’s Main Campus, Abuja.
According to Mr Kari, some academic staff have already been trained on railway engineering in China by the Chinese Shanghai University and the Chinese Government’s foreign and technical aids.
“It will interest you to note that the Chinese Government-sponsored railway engineering has already taken off. Seven of our eminent engineering lecturers and scholars were selected for a capacity-building programme in China.
“While three of them are through with the programme, and have since returned to the country, the other four are still in China.
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“And after the completion of their study, they will join their colleagues here, to help standardized the newly-floated department,” he noted.
Continuing, Mr Kari said: “At the moment, twelve brand new workshops are been constructed at the Engineering Faculty in the university Main Campus. This is geared towards ensuring that facilities are provided for the programme’s smooth take-off.
“Also, the equipment to be used for teaching and practical sessions by lecturers and students of the new engineering department, presently have been imported, and are just waiting to be cleared at the port before been transported to the university.”
The Dean also disclosed that the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah had approved the employment of 500 undergraduate students of the university to work as auxiliary staff at various units, offices and departments of the institution.
According ot Mr Kari, these students would be paid N10,000 as monthly stipend to assist them to meet other pressing financial obligations.
