FUHSA Graduates 50 Pioneer Students, Records 64% Female Enrolment

The Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), Bauchi State, has graduated its pioneer set of 50 students, including three first-class graduates, less than five years after its establishment.

The pioneer vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Bala Audu, disclosed this at the institution’s maiden convocation ceremony held on Saturday.

He said the graduating students were from the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, the university’s first academic programme to produce graduates.

“Today, we are graduating 50 students. Out of these, three graduated with first-class degrees,” he said.

Audu described the convocation as a significant milestone in the university’s development, noting that the institution’s achievements reflected its commitment to producing skilled health professionals, advancing knowledge and contributing to society.

“In less than five years, FUHSA has reached that defining moment. This is, therefore, more than a ceremony. It is the celebration of a vision, a journey and a dream that has become a reality,” he said.

According to him, FUHSA has established 22 academic programmes, with 11 of the 13 programmes that have reached the stage of accreditation securing full accreditation, while the remaining two have interim accreditation.

He explained that the institution’s workforce had increased from 239 to 892 staff members drawn from across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Similarly, student enrolment had risen from 706 to more than 6,000, with female students accounting for 64 per cent of the population since its commencement in October 2022.

Audu said the university had expanded its undergraduate programmes from five at inception to 22, while plans were underway to introduce five postgraduate programmes.

Speaking on the achievements of the graduating students, the vice-chancellor said the use of the four-year Basic Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) curriculum had enabled the university to graduate its pioneer students within the expected period.

He said the curriculum was robust and emphasised practical skills acquisition, as demonstrated by the commercial products developed by students during their training.

According to him, the graduating students were showcasing more than 34 value-added nutritional products with commercialisation potential.

He further disclosed that the project of one of the graduating students had won a national Nutrition Research and Innovation Challenge organised by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria.