We’re working to make ABUAD among best varsities globally, says VC

Vice Chancellor (VC) of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, has said that the management and members of staff of the university are determined to work towards making the institution one of the best 100 in the world.

The VC, who stated this, yesterday, during the 15th matriculation ceremony of the institution at ABUAD campus, said the university was ranked No. 221 in the world out of over 7,000 qualified universities globally.

Olarinde noted that in a country where mediocrity, failure, corruption, poverty and excuse for backwardness are fast becoming the norm, “it is a disservice for any higher educational institution, as endowed as we are, to produce the regular kind of graduates.”

“Our role in the educational sector in the country and in Africa is to transform the entire educational system. You do not transform something by doing everything the usual and the common way. You transform something by doing things the excellent and the uncommon way.

“Permit me to say, and with all sense of modesty and gratitude to God that we at ABUAD, have achieved an enviable level of dexterity, expertise and knack for achieving excellence in the quality of the graduates we turn out.

“There is no doubt that you have come to the right place to receive quality, impactful education and training for your university degrees and character moulding in your individual pursuit of greatness.”

“We commenced academic operations at ABUAD approximately 14 years ago. In those short 14 years, we rose from nothing, to being ranked by a global body, the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking, as No. 1 in Nigeria for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), and No. 221 in the world.

“Out of over 7,000 qualified universities globally, ABUAD effectively came ahead of several universities in Africa, in Asia, and even in Europe and in the United States. We are just starting.

“In a few more years, and by the grace of God, we shall be talking of ABUAD being in the top 100 universities globally. We will not rest until we have achieved this goal.”