The National Universities Commission has approved six new full-time programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, effective from the 2026/2027 academic session for the University of Benin.

A statement on Sunday by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, noted that the courses were approved following the successful resource assessment of proposed courses at the institution.

She said two among the newly approved undergraduate programmes would help to address the dearth of experts in the disciplines in the country’s healthcare sector.

The statement read, “Following the successful Resource Assessment of proposed courses at the University of Benin, the National Universities Commission has approved for the Institution six new full-time programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, effective from the 2026/2027 academic session.

“Among the newly approved undergraduate programmes are two special courses – Bachelor’s in Speech Language Therapy, and Bachelor’s in Occupational Therapy.

“These programmes manifest the efforts by the university to pioneer the policy initiative of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on the need to train skilled manpower in the two fields of study, to address the dearth of experts in the disciplines in the country’s healthcare sector.”

Other undergraduate programmes approved are B.Sc International Relations, B.Sc Intelligence and Security Studies, B.Ed Primary Education and B.N.SC Nursing Science (in collaboration with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital).

According to the statement, the university’s Centre of Excellence in Space Science Technology and Application will offer Master’s and PhD degrees in Remote Sensing and Aeronautics Engineering.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Edoba Omoregie (SAN), while appreciating the NUC for the gesture, reiterated the determination of the University of Benin to sustain its leading position as a first-rate manpower training and development hub through its diverse and extensive academic programmes.

“We appreciate NUC for the approval of the courses, and the institution will sustain its leading position as a first-rate manpower training and development hub,” he added.