Awgu Institute of Administration and Technology, formerly known as Institute of Construction & Engineering and Institute of Administration & Construction Technology is a non-profit making Institution approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and accredited by the National Board for Technical Education in 2007 as Innovation Enterprise Institution (IEl) and Vocational Enterprise Institution (VEI) to award National Innovation Diploma and National Vocational Certificates to deserving graduates of the Institution.
In January 2012, the Institute got affiliated to Enugu State University of Science & Technology and approval was given by the Senate of the University at its 231st Meeting held on 8th of June, 2011.
In April 2013, after an Inspection Visitation that was jointly carried out by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education, the Hon. Minister of Education conveyed the approval of the Institute (Institute of Administration & Technology) to operate as a Vocational Enterprise Institution with effect from 25th February 2013 via a letter by the National Board for Technical Education dated 3rd April 2013.
Ref. No. TEB/PRO/VEI/162/VOL.1/021.
Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) award National Innovation Diploma and Higher National Innovation Diploma while Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs) award National Vocational Certificates.
In June 2015, after several months of communications and visitations, the Institute struck partnership agreements with two top-most Universities in the Republic of Benin – IRGIB Africa University and West African Union University both in Cotonou. A similar partnership agreement was also struck a month earlier with the University of America, California, United States of America.
As the world increasingly becomes a global village through innovations and breakthroughs in technological development, collaborations and partnerships in our educational advancement and development cannot be over-emphasized and the nation's educational policy must respond appropriately to these trends.
The introduction of Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) and Vocational Enterprises Institution (VEIs) in 2007 by the Federal Ministry of Education into the nation's educational system was a step in the right direction.
Awgu Institute of Administration & Technology shall uncompromisingly adhere to the Guidelines, Rules, and Regulations stipulated by the Federal Ministry of Education and National Board for Technical Education which is the supervising body for Innovation and Vocational Enterprise Institutions.
VISION, MISSION, PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 VISION:
The vision of the Institute is to be one the first class Innovation Enterprise Institutions in the country offering practical knowledge and entrepreneurial skills to student's that will enable them to be productive and self-reliant in their chosen discipline, especially in information and Computer Technology.
2.2 Mission:
The Mission Statements of the Institute are as follows:
a. To provide a conducive environment for the development of effective and virile indigenous technology for the development of the national economy.
b. To produce graduates that are well-rounded in Science, Technology and Vocational Education, and also imbued with necessary management and entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to the development of themselves and the Nigerian nation.
c. To replace unemployment and career stagnation of graduates with creative ingenuity through well-packaged programmes and practical training.
d. To create a nurturing and stimulating environment where the pursuit of academic excellence shall be blended with moral rectitude.
2.3 PHILOSOPHY
Awgu Institute of Administration & Technology seeks to create learning situations, both in and out of the classroom, where students will have the opportunity to discover their potentials in line with current global changes and demands.
The Institute will ensure that the learning process involves the active participation of students in practical works to enable them to compete globally on graduation.
Emphasis will be placed on practical training will ample opportunities for innovative workplace experience. The high academic standard shall be inculcated within the three (3) years duration for the award of National Vocational Certificates (NVC), and two (2) years each for the award of National Innovation Diploma and Higher National Innovation Diploma.
The goals and objectives of Awgu Institute of Administration & Technology are as follows:
a. To provide increased access to education at all levels for all ages, especially the rural poor and financially handicapped but talented youths, and increase the enrolment of those eligible for senior and post-secondary education in the foreseeable future.
b. To make the graduates of the Institute mentally resourceful, intellectually equipped, entrepreneurially self-reliant, and positively motivated for development and leadership roles.
c. To produce middle-level manpower for the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy, thus providing the link between education, technology, innovation and the labour market.
d. To improve the standard and quality of theoretical education by offering between 6 to 12 months of practical training for our young graduates in Vocational and Technical Education, and provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the acquisition of knowledge in some specialized areas in Information and Computer Technology.
f. To instill in the graduates the virtues of confidence, self-respect, civic responsibility, for the overall benefit of the individual, the nation, and the world.
There is no doubt that the above objectives are very challenging but realizable by the grace of God, supports from the Governments, International Donor Agencies, and Partnership Institutions.
While professional certificate courses are expected to last between 6 months and 12 months, the diploma courses are for the minimum period of two (2) years because of the practical nature of the curriculum which invariably will be enriched with courses in social and management sciences to make our graduates relevant in the global marketplace.
Globalization driven by Information and Communication Technology, ICT, has made it imperative for the Institute to offer programmes that are internationally competitive. The catchment area of the Institute is potentially the whole world (borderless education) and this must be reflected in the curriculum.
Through borderless education and useful partnership with Collaborating Overseas Institutions, and Donor Agencies, access to education will be widened for our teeming youths who are desirous of vocational and technical education.
BENEFITS OF THE INSTITUTE
i. Increased access to vocational and technical education for our teeming youths with the view of curbing crime rate and youths' restiveness.
ii. It serves as an option and a veritable alternative to University education as it will be listed in the JAMB brochure after its accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education.
iii. Acquisition of the right mix of creative, commercial, knowledge, job and life skills vital in influencing and developing tomorrow's talent and to enhance global competitiveness.
iv. Using 21st Century technology to teach up-to-date curriculum and skills relevant to the needs of employers in labour market.
The Institute will have strong industry links, and as such greatly increase the chances of employment for her graduates. Our primary objectives are to ensure that our graduates are taught practical skills relevant to the needs of the private sector, thus providing a link between education, technology, innovation and the labour market.
THE ON-GOING REFORM
It is our conviction that if the current reforms in the education sector are sustained, the nation's dream to become a key player in the global economy by the year 2030 shall be realized. In a changing global environment where knowledge is a key factor for development, the need to embrace ICT which has impacted so much on world economy cannot be overemphasized.
Information Technology is embodied in the social relationships of the network society and is, therefore, part of production and power relationship, rather than something apart. As the network society (global village) continues to grow, the internet will become the universal tool of interactive communication, and information technology will enhance and accelerate the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge.
The Institute shall remain competitive through built-in quality check mechanisms. Our programmes will be subjected to appropriate and reliable accreditation and evaluation processes that are both nationally and internationally accepted and recognized.
MORALITY AND EDUCATION
The involvement of a religious organization Anglican Diocese of Awgu/Aninri in the partnership is to ensure that morality is blended with academic excellence. Education without morality is dead, and to ensure that our graduate is morally upright, morality education has been included as a compulsory subject in our Curriculum.
It was Jean-Jacques Rousseau who said, "since learned men began to appear among us, good men have disappeared". Rousseau meant that education of those "learned men" was not imbued with morality. They are men with a high standard of education but with a very low standard of morality, and this portends a great danger to the society.
Any educational system that is devoid of morality is incomplete and useless. Such an educational system is even harmful both to the student who acquire it, and the society in which he lives. If vocational and technical education must fulfill its purpose, aims, and objectives, it must be imbued with morality to a very high degree; otherwise, it would do more harm than good to the society. Morality is tottering dangerously near the abyss in this country and must be arrested and made a part of the nation' educational curricula. Lloyd George, a former British Prime Minister equally said: "education without God makes clever devils". Today we have very many clever devils emerging from our Colleges and Universities, and this portends a great danger to the nation.
With collaboration with Overseas and Local Institutions and Donor Agencies, access to education will be widened for the poorest of the poor who are desirous of acquiring vocational and technical education through the offer of scholarships.
PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE INSTITUTE
1. DIRECTOR
Sunny .N. Iloh MBA, MSC, Personnel Management
2. REGISTRAR
Rev. Sunday Okeke MBA Public Administration
3. ACADEMIC PLANNING
Rev. Stanley Okeke B.Sc. English
4. BURSAR
Simon Okoli NCE, Accounting Education
5. LEGAL ADVISER
Tochi Ada Onah LL.B, BL, LL.M