Deputy Director's Welcome Note
Forecasting is about predicting the future, based on present and past knowledge of quantitative statistical data that are specifically appropriate for educational and academic planning. The need to balance the future workload of the system with available resources has intermediate and long-term influence on the quality of output and services provided. As such there is a strong need to have a unit that can make efficient forecasts of student population, resource and budgetary requirements, infrastructural needs, internally generated revenue etc....
The DAPM Planning and Statistics Unit is the repository of statistical data that are used for planning, quality assurance and enforcement of compliance with the NUC academic standards. It provides statistical tools and frameworks for the coordination and balancing of academic activities and programmes in the University, in order to streamline and ensure balance sustainable growth of academic programmes, as well as streamline the supply of educational services. Performance indicators in the evaluation of statistics of impact academic autonomy and academic instability on academic planning are related to budgeting and funding issues in Nigerian Universities.
Mandate of the unit
The responsibilities of Planning and Statistics Unit include but not limited to:
- Preparation, implementation and general review of the University Academic Brief, Strategic Plan and Master Plans, and ensuring compliance with the provisions of the plans in their implementation; in order to guide and monitor the University’s activities in accordance with its statutory goals, mission and vision.
- Determination, digitization and dissemination of data on adequate staff strength and requirement, students’ admission, enrolment projections and data-base for teaching and research facilities required as input for planning purposes;
- Annual monitoring, updating, analysis and interpretation of data for planning, as basis for resource allocation in the University to guide against any possible excess staffing and to ensure the most economical operation, which guarantee the achievement of high-quality academic standards in the University.
- Participating in the preparation of the University budget and analysing utilization of allocated resources to various aspects of University operations, such as academic and material resources (laboratories, classes, offices and other facilities), within the ambit of the approved budget.
- Collection, analysis and interpretation of University’s annual and trend statistics for both internal (e.g. publishing of Annual Report) and external consumption (e.g. rendering adequate feedback to National Universities Commission (NUC) for national planning purposes.
- Coordinating and producing annual reports and publications of statistical nature in liaison with the Registry and other relevant units of the university.
- The Academic Planning and Statistics Unit of DAPM is a Member/Secretary of some University Committees/Boards by Statute such as the following Committees: i) Senate Estimates; ii) Senate Research Grant; iii) Post-University Tertiary Matriculation Exams; iv) University Board of Research (UBR); v) Academic Planning and Curriculum; vi) Teaching and Research Equipment Grant; vii) ABU Education Digest; and viii) any Ad-hoc committee as formed by the Vice-Chancellor to handle one issue or the other.
Achievements
The achievements recorded by the Unit are in the area of providing guidance to all the Units, Departments, Faculties and Centres in the University in all planning and statistical matters. These include participating in the review of the Academic Brief and general curriculum development;
