BUK Hosts 2-Day Interactive Meeting on Review of PG Programmes in Media and Communications
By Nura Garba
INFOMEDIA – Bayero University, Kano hosted a two-day Interactive Meeting of stakeholders on the review and the development of Postgraduate Studies Curriculum in Media and Communication Studies for Nigerian Universities.
Communication scholars, media experts and professional journalists, as well as veteran broadcasters converged in the University between Tuesday, 26th and Thursday, 27th April, 2021 and brainstormed on the review of the curriculum for PG programmes.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, who graced the opening session, said “today’s activity is a follow-up to the series of activities coordinated by this university with the support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from 2017-2019. The earlier process led to the revision and unbundling of Mass Communication curriculum in the country.”
He said he was delighted that Bayero University coordinated the historic process that is set to change the landscape of media and communication education in Nigeria.
The Vice Chancellor explained that arrangements have reached advanced stages for the establishment of departments of Journalism, Broadcasting, Development Communication, Public Relations, Advertising, Strategic Communication and Film and Multi-Media Studies in the Faculty of Communication.
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Tony Iredia, said the unbundling of mass communication would break the components of media and communication and provide grounds for experts in different fields. He said it would also entrench specialization by students.
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The Director Academic Planning of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Noel Saliu appreciated the leadership role being taken by BUK and commended the Chairman MacArthur Implementation Committee of the project, Professor Umaru Pate for the job well-done.
In his remark, Professor Lai Oso, stated that the idea of unbundling started as a multi-stakeholder initiative but was embraced by the NUC. He said the graduate of Nigerian universities would fit into the 21st century marketing and academic needs. He commended the NUC for its openness to new ideas and innovations.
The Chairman MacArthur Implementation Committee and Convener of the meeting, Professor Umaru Pate said the idea is to review the curriculum of PG programmes in media and communication so that the implementation stage would be completed before the end of this year.
According to him all Nigerian Universities have been urged to establish faculty of communication and relevant departments. He explained that MacArthur had extended its grant for the review of PG curriculum having done it earlier for the undergraduate programmes.
He further stated that the faculty had signed a memorandum of understanding with the BBC London on capacity building and installation of broadcast equipment, saying that part of the grant is to train staff to attend international conferences.
During the interactive sessions, stakeholders were grouped curriculum for PG programmes on Journalism, Strategic Communication, Public Relations, Advertising, Film and Multi-Media, Information and Media Studies and Development Communication.
Professor Pate told the participants that the groups were given two-weeks each to come up with the written proposal based on the NUC guidelines. He added that the proposal would be subjected for further scrutiny by other renown experts of international refutes before submitting to the NUC.
