WorldStage Newsonline– The Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi (FUTIA) in Akwa Ibom State says it’s committed to making exploits in the area of aerospace engineering.
Vice Chancellor of the varsity, Professor Leo Daniel disclosed during an interaction with journalists that the institution had acquired a wind tunnel and aerodrome.
According to Prof Daniel, the wind tunnel and aerodrome, the best in the country, would help in the areas of research and training of students in the department of Aerospace engineering in the University.
He said that the two facilities would put students of Aerospace engineering at vantage position to have practical knowledge and embark on research in their chosen career.
Daniel, a professor of aerospace engineering from Russian university and Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, disclosed that the facilities were not even available at some airports in Nigeria, adding that the students were fortunate to have them for their practical studies.
“Wind tunnel that we don’t even have in Akwa Ibom Airport will soon be here. And we will have what we call Aerodrome which will be part of the Aerospace Engineering facilities for training and for research as well as other facilities that are coming in to equip this institution,” he disclosed.
The Vice Chancellor said the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved three schools of Engineering Technology, Applied Science and Computing Information Technology with 12 departments, including other programmes such as Cyber Security and Naval Architecture among others.
Expatiating further on the virtue of the institution, the VC stated: “We are technologically advanced institution with a mandate to build an institution that will bring in other programmes that have not been seen in the past.
“We started with 550 students that were admitted and they just finished their first semester exams for this session. We have three schools with 12 programmes, among them is the Department of Aerospace Engineering which is my field of expertise.
“It is a research thrust area we want to build in the Federal University of Technology. Other programmes such as Cyber Security and Naval Architecture are parts of the programmes for the first in Nigeria.”
He said the institution depended on funds from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund) and Akwa Ibom State government that donated land from Ikot Okpo Inua and Ette communities to take off with the institution.
Daniel who stated that the institution remained the best in South-South explained that the institution within the short time had benefitted from TeTFund through some intervention projects as supply of furniture, equipment and grants, adding that more were still being expected to develop infrastructure in the new university.
He categorized TeTfund interventions in the institution to include Take-Off Grants, High Impact grants, Zonal Intervention and Normal interventions.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated Akwa Ibom State government for the land and other logistics and requested for construction of internal road network within the campus to overcome the problem of coastal terrain of the area.
He said 90 Academic staff members have been recruited with excellent academic background while 120 Non Academic staff members have been employed to start the university adding more will be engaged as the institution expands
“We have 90 Academic staff members to start the university. Most of them are Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors. We also have 120 Non Academic staff members. We will have more in future,” he said.
