Posted on: Tue 25-01-2022

The American University of Nigeria, Yola, says the institution will be seeking the approval of the National Universities Commission to run degree and postgraduate programmes in the fields of medicine and public health.

The president of AUN, Margee Ensign, stated this on Monday, at the matriculation ceremony of students admitted for 2023 academic session.

The institution which is matriculating one of the largest sets of students for an academic stream, announced that a large number of Chibok girls from the AUN foundation school matriculated into the university and were doing very well.

Margee who noted that the consideration and proposal by the institution to apply for programmes in the fields of medicine and public health was spurred by COVID-19 pandemic, added that the institution had commenced hybrid programmes in the fields of information and communication technology as a result of the pandemic.

She said, “We are committed this semester to applying ( to the National Universities Commission) and we hope, very much to have approval for public health both at undergraduate and post graduate levels. We have always wanted to do public health and the pandemic has spurred us on.

There was always scepticism but we found out during the pandemic that in person learning can be limited. We want to open up a world-class education that is offered at AUN to everyone. So we are working very hard to also seek approval with the NUC, to run hybrid programmes. We will start with graduate programmes, particularly from our Information and Communication Technology and Computing, Business and Entrepreneurship.”

Margee who decried the severity of the impact of COVID-19 on her home country, the United States of America, however, cautioned Nigerians against letting down their guards just because the infection and fatality ratios were lesser in Nigeria.

She said, “Just because Nigerians have not experienced what my country, experienced does not mean this virus has run its course. “Viruses work hard to survive and they work hard with those who are not vaccinated and that remains a big part of the challenge. And containing that, explains why public health is important in educating people.”

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