HISTORY

The University of Ilorin, sometimes known as Unilorin, is a university in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria. The University is about 5ooKM from Abuja the capital city of Nigeria.

The university began as a University College affiliated to the oldest university in Nigeria in 1975 under the leadership of the then principal, Dr T.N. Tamuno. The first set of 200 students, selected following an entrance examination, were admitted into residence on 23 October 1976, while academic work started on 25 October after the Principalâ€™s address. The University College started with three academic faculties of Arts, Science and Education.

In October 1977, the institution attained full autonomous status with appointment of the then Principal, Professor O.O Akinkugbe as first vice chancellor. The current vice chancellor, Professor Is-haq Olarenwaju Oloyede is the first Unilorin alumnus to occupy that position. The staff and student populations now stand at 3,040 and 20,084 respectively.

The University started off on a portion of the temporary campus of the Kwara State Polytechnic known as the mini campus. This was the site of academic programmes in the Faculties of Arts, Science, Education, Engineering & Technology, Business and Social Sciences, and basic clinical sciences of the Health Sciences Faculty. It was the only campus of the university until January 1982 when more than 1000 students studying science were moved following completion of new Faculty blocks and residences for Natural Sciences and Engineering on the permanent campus site.

From 1983, the law programme was started as a department in the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Following a 6-year hiatus, it was re-established in 1993 as a full fledged Faculty. The university now has 10 faculties: Arts, Agriculture, Business and Social Sciences, Communication and Information Sciences, Education, Engineering and Technology, Law, and Science; a College of Health Sciences (with 2 Faculties-Basic Medical and Clinical Sciences); two institutes (Institute of Education and Unilorin Sugar Research Institute); and the Postgraduate School. These faculties have 60 academic departments in total. Undergraduate degree programmes are run for 3-5, or 6 years, depending on entry qualifications and discipline.

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES/FACULTIES/COURSES OFFERED

From three faculties in 1976, today there are ten faculties: Arts (1976), Science (1976) Education (1976), Engineering & Technology (1978), Business & Social Sciences (1981), Agriculture (1982), Law (1993, after an initial start-up in 1983), Basic Medical Sciences (2004), Clinical Sciences (2004) and Communication and Information Sciences (2008).

Altogether, there are over 60 academic departments in the existing ten faculties. Undergraduate degree programmes run for 3,4,5, or 6 years, depending on entry qualifications and discipline. The University started with the traditional British â€œThree Term Systemâ€ but later changed into a modified form of the American â€œTwo Semester Systemâ€ called Harmattan and Rain semesters with effect from 1979/80 session.

Each semester comprises one half of an academic year as determined by Senate. Also instruction in the various Faculties with the exception of the Health Sciences is by the course system. These courses are quantified into credits. The University has teaching support units which include the Computer Centre, Central Workshop and Stores, Biological Garden, Community Based Experience and Services (COBES), Medical Educational Resources Unit, General Studies (Use of English/National Awareness) Division, and Teaching & Research Farm.

There are also the Public Units which are the University Primary School, the University Secondary School, the Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) programme, Institute of Education and Educational Technology Centre. Although an academic unit, the Library is actively involved in rendering service to the University and the public. In addition, there is a Sugar Research Institute which is mainly a research unit served by academic mainly from Science and Agriculture Faculties.

UNILORIN is notably remembered for the unconstitutional sack of its 49 Lecturers (15 professors, two associate professors. 15 senior lecturer, 18 lecturers: 40 doctors and 12 medical school lecturers out which 11 were consultants.) in 2001. These destitute lecturers were however assisted by The Academic Staff Union of Universities-ASUU.

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