By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has commenced a partnership arrangement with the Federal University, Lokoja to award doctorate degrees in some of its postgraduate’s programmes.
Already NILDS, which is the training arm of the National Assembly is currently in partnership with the University of Benin (UNIBEN), to award Master’s Degrees in some courses.
The Director-General of the institute, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the second orientation programme of the NILDS-UNIBEN postgraduate programmes held in Abuja.
The former minister of National Planning, explained that the the doctorate degrees would be awarded by the Federal University, Lokoja, in Election and Party Politics; Parliamentary Administration; Legislative Studies; Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution; Leadership and Strategic Studies, and Social Works.
*Signs pact with UniAbuja, ICSAN to boost PG programmes
He also announced that a tripartite agreement had been signed between NILDS, the University of Abuja, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) to strengthen its postgraduate programmes.
He said, “As part of our efforts in ensuring that we strengthen our post graduate programmes, a master’s degree programme in Governance will soon commence in the Institute.
“It is a collaborative tripartite agreement between the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), the University of Benin (UNIBEN), and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).
“Also, the Open Distance Learning (ODL) Programme in professional certificate courses in diverse areas will soon commence. I am equally pleased to inform you all that there is also a collaboration between NILDS and the Federal University Lokoja for doctoral programmes.
“This will be in Election and Party Politics; Parliamentary Administration; Legislative Studies; Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution; Leadership and Strategic Studies, and Social Works.
“Also, there is also another partnership between us and the University of Abuja to improve and expand the academic programmes offered by the Institute and showcase the Institute as indeed the citadel of learning, character moulding, and intellectualism.
“Indeed, the opportunities offered by NILDS are virtually limitless, therefore, I enjoin the students to key into them and make the best use of the unique offering,” Sulaiman stated.
He noted that the importance of the orientation programme, could not be over-emphasized especially when the students are mature and mostly workers.
He, however, said there was a need to acquaint them with the rules and regulations guiding their modus operandi as students of NILDS/UNIBEN Post-Graduate Programmes.
This, he said, was because the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the University of Benin (UNIBEN) uphold a very high moral and ethical standards as we are of the believe that there is no short-cut to success, therefore, students must always play by the rules.
The DG said, “Through our hard work, commitment, as well as clear vision and planning, both NILDS and UNIBEN, have sustained the momentum of excellence in line with international best practices, conformity to the guidelines of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the strict adherence to qualitative educational standards, which can never be compromised on no account.
“I am particularly impressed that the post-graduate programmes we are running in affiliation with the University of Benin are gaining wide acceptance as the present Academic Session has the highest number of admission intake since the commencement of the Post-Graduate Programmes with almost 200 students.
“Our post-graduate programmes are established on strong academic principles and discipline. Upon successful completion of the programme, students are awarded certificates by the University of Benin for postgraduate programmes, while the Institute awards the HND certificates.
