In a landmark ceremony held at Dominican University, Ibadan, Professor Jacinta Opara was inaugurated as the institution’s new Vice Chancellor, marking a new chapter in the university’s journey.
The event, which was graced by distinguished guests, including Chief Anthony Idigbe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Chief Moji Ladipo, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council held on Monday, July 1, 2024.
In her inaugural address, Professor Opara expressed heartfelt gratitude to the university’s leadership and community for their trust and support.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for this opportunity to lead an institution so dedicated to excellence in education and research,” she said.
Dominican University, Ibadan, established in 2016 and accredited by the National Universities Commission, is unique as the only university of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Order) in Africa.
Professor Opara highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering a rich intellectual tradition while serving both local and global communities.
Her vision for the university centers around a robust Five-Point Agenda aimed at elevating the institution’s standards in learning, teaching, research, innovation, and industrialization.
She emphasised the importance of an inclusive organisational culture and the holistic development of both staff and students.
“We will establish cutting-edge programs and foster sustainable research networks,” Professor Opara stated.
“Our goal is to ensure quality assurance in our curricula and promote academic excellence through international collaborations and external funding.”
Under the pillar of Excellence in Learning, Professor Opara plans to place students at the heart of the university’s mission.
This includes providing high-quality teaching and promoting extracurricular activities to enhance students’ personal and academic growth.
For Excellence in Teaching, she aims to encourage continuous professional development for academic staff through training sessions, workshops, and conferences.
This approach will ensure that teaching methodologies remain relevant and rigorous.
In the area of Excellence in Research, Professor Opara seeks to promote interdisciplinary studies and collaborations to address complex global challenges.
Building a robust research grant base for external funding is also a key objective.
“The mission is to bring together diverse groups into an academic community that is conducive to research, teaching, and learning,” she said, underscoring her commitment to making Dominican University a beacon of academic excellence and innovation.
The university community and its stakeholders expressed optimism about Professor Opara’s strategic plans and her ability to steer the institution toward greater achievements.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the well-being of our students and urge them to take advantage of available academic and social support programmes,” she concluded.
As Professor Opara steps into her new role, the Dominican University community looks forward to a period of transformative growth and increased prominence on the global academic stage.
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