The management of Dominican University, Ibadan, has announced the appointment of Jacinta Opara, a professor, as the first female vice-chancellor of the university.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Anthony Idigbe, following a board meeting on 7
March.
Ms Opara is the university’s second substantive
vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the appointment was approved by
the institution’s Joint Governing Council, Senate, and Search/Selection Team,
following a “stringent recruitment exercise carried out by a professional
recruiting firm and topnotch academics, in line with best global practices in
headhunting for strategic positions in higher education institutions.”
“The appointment is expected to usher in an era of
innovation and academic eminence. A scholar of Prof Opara’s status with a
proven track record in higher education and an outstanding commitment to
fostering learning and research, she is balanced to make a sustainable impact
on the University and the broader academic community,” the statement reads in
part.
It added that Ms Opara’s appointment is set for a five-year
term.
Born in Port Harcourt in 1976, Ms Opara is an environmental
scholar, scientist, educator, health researcher, consultant, and development
activist. She serves as President of the African Association for Teaching and
Learning and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Policy
Management Development.
She holds degrees from the University of Ibadan and the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with further postgraduate qualifications from
institutions including the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University
of Science and Technology, and several international universities.
Ms Opara’s administrative experience in higher education is
extensive, having served as head of department, dean, director, and deputy
vice-chancellor.
In addition to her academic and administrative
accomplishments, she is actively involved in numerous organisations and
initiatives. She has coordinated significant projects and publications and has
received numerous awards, including the Erasmus Mundus fellowship and the IATEL
Award for Academic Excellence.
Dominican University, Ibadan, formerly known as the
Dominican Institute, is known as the first university of the Order of Preachers
(Dominican Order) on the African continent. It became affiliated with the
University of Ibadan in 1993 and was officially licensed by the Federal
Government of Nigeria in 2016.
“That date marked the birth of the first university of the
Order of Preachers on the African continent. The university is accredited and
recognised by the National Universities Commission,” the statement reads.