Bennett Oghifo
The Architects’ Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has promised to support the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, to develop enterpreneurship studies, as the university’s authority prepare to overhaul its curricula.
President of ARCON, Sir Oladipo Ajayi made the pledge, yesterday, when he led council members of ARCON, including the immediate past president, Umaru Aliu; and the Registrar, Umar Murnai, on a visit to school authorities.
Ajayi urged the university authourities to include the Council in its budget, while it advised them to ensure a quick upgrade of the Department of Architecture of the institution into faculty status. “We are eager to have the faculty as soon as possible, as this would further enhance both the university and the profession at large.”
According to Ajayi, ARCON was, among other things, established to raise the educational standard and practice of architecture and has mandate to register and deregister institutions.
Ajayi said there was need for OAU to adopt Architects Projects Registration Number (APRN), which would help to monitor all building projects, thereby prevent incidents of collapsed building in the country.
ARCON president also tasked the university on the issue of jury, which he noted has been misunderstood by many, urging them to facilitate the process of ensuring this initiative, which is backed law, is implemented by the university without any hitch.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede pledged support for ARCON, and tasked the Council to assist the university as it was already in the process of doing a total overhaul of its curricula.
He also charged ARCON to help the university in the development of enterpreneural studies, but said the issue of upgrading the Departure of Architecture to a faculty was actually dependent on the regulatory body, National University Commission (NUC), and the lecturers within the department.
Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Prof. Mrs. Olubola Babalola, who was the first female professor of Quantity Surveying in Africa, expressed satisfaction at the proposal to make the department of architecture a faculty.
Meanwhile, ARCON has concluded arrangements to induct over 400 newly registered architects.
