Osun State University (UNIOSUN) says 17 academic programmes introduced under the current administration will produce their pioneer graduates at the institution’s 16th convocation ceremony.

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Odunayo Adebooye, disclosed this at a pre-convocation news conference on Saturday in Osogbo.

Adebooye said the programmes were introduced to expand the university’s academic offerings and respond to emerging manpower needs. They include Cyber Security, Information Systems, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Criminology and Security Studies, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, International Relations and Diplomacy, and Psychology.

Others are Demography and Social Statistics, Cooperative and Rural Development, Public Administration, Library and Information Science, Biotechnology, Business Education, Environmental Education, Adult Education, and Social Work.

“Several programmes introduced during my tenure as vice-chancellor would also produce their pioneer graduates at the convocation,” Adebooye said.

He added that the development is part of the university’s broader effort to strengthen its academic offerings and prepare students for the changing demands of the labour market and knowledge economy.

According to Adebooye, UNIOSUN will graduate 4,357 students at the 16th convocation, comprising 3,845 first-degree holders, nine postgraduate diploma holders, 400 master’s degree holders, and 103 doctoral degree holders.

He also disclosed that the university will graduate its pioneer set of 90 medical doctors from its Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme. The graduates were inducted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria on August 12 and will receive their degrees on September 23.

The Vice-Chancellor said UNIOSUN has also expanded its infrastructure to support its growing academic programmes. Completed projects include a FIFA-standard sports complex, a three-in-one science laboratory complex, the Governor Ademola Adeleke Lecture Theatre, and a 900-capacity lecture theatre.

He said construction has also commenced on an ICT Resource Centre, computer and information technology laboratories, academic office complexes, and lecture auditoriums across some of the university’s campuses.

Adebooye said the university would continue to strengthen research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and partnerships while leveraging technology to respond to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.