Bingham University recently hosted Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators (ANUPA) workshop at its main campus in Karu, Nasarawa State with the theme; Effective Administrative Practices for Enhanced Productivity in the University.

Delivering the opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Haruna Kuje Ayuba, welcomed attendees to the workshop l. He emphasized the importance of the workshop, calling it timely and vital for strengthening administrative strategies within the university system.

He stressed that efficient administration is crucial for the success of any university, as it directly impacts quality education, research, and the service to students and society. He stated the key highlights to include:

Streamlining university processes to ease business operations.

Leveraging technology to improve various administrative functions like admissions, registration, and examinations.

Fostering a collaborative work environment free from competition and conflicts.

Adopting best practices that align with the university's mission of academic excellence.

In his remarks,the Registrar, Mr. Daburi Bello Misal ,emphasized  the importance of the workshop in improving the collective capacity of university administrators. Mr. Misal commended the leadership of ANUPA for organizing training programmes that enhance the skills of university administrators and thanked the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Haruna Kuje Ayuba, for supporting the university’s Registry.

He highlighted Bingham University’s vision of providing quality education rooted in godly values and its mission to produce graduates equipped for self-reliance. He pointed out that the workshop aligns with the university’s ideals of fostering transformational leadership and effective service delivery in the Nigerian University System.

Acknowledging the vital role of administrators in ensuring the smooth functioning of universities, he described the workshop as an investment in the future of university administration in Nigeria. Mr. Misal encouraged participants to actively engage in the sessions, interact with facilitators, and apply the strategies learned to improve their administrative practices. 

Speaking at the workshop, a resource and legal expert, Barr. Temine Hauwa Lami, underscored the significance of university laws, regulations, and conventions in ensuring effective governance and compliance in higher education institutions. Speaking on the fundamentals and analysis of university laws, Lami noted that universities operate within national legal frameworks and academic traditions.

According to Lami, university laws, regulations, and conventions are essential for defining the legal status, governance structure, powers, and responsibilities of universities. She stated that the importance of upholding the rule of law, ensuring due process and fairness, and promoting transparency and accountability in university governance should not be undermined.

Lami identified challenges to the rule of law in universities, including political interference, legal ambiguity, weak enforcement, and cultural pressure. She recommended that universities provide training for staff, review obsolete rules, strengthen internal legal units, and embrace digital governance to promote compliance and good governance.

Barr. Lami emphasized that non-compliance with university laws and regulations can have severe consequences, including disciplinary action, reputational damage, and legal suits. She concluded that laws, regulations, and conventions are foundational to university governance and that enforcing these frameworks is essential for ensuring fairness, integrity, and sustainability.

The Deputy Registrar, University of Ibadan, Uchenna Kenneth Ekemezie, underscored the importance of effective records management in universities. He highlighted the implication of records management in ensuring transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency in universities.

According to Ekemezie, records management is the backbone of administration, supporting decision-making and accountability. He identified key principles of record keeping, including accuracy, completeness, authenticity, reliability, integrity, and confidentiality.

Ekemezie also discussed the challenges of records management, such as resistance to adopting digital technologies, limited resources, and lack of awareness among staff. He suggested mitigation strategies, including proactive stakeholder engagement, strong executive backing, and ongoing staff training and professional development.

He recommended that universities should establish clear policies, conduct regular training, invest in secure systems, and prioritize disaster recovery planning to ensure effective records management.

By adopting best practices in record keeping, universities can function with transparency, security, and efficiency, Ekemezie concluded. He emphasized that effective records management supports the broader institutional mission by enabling informed decision-making and regulatory compliance.

Alh. Kabiru Garba Aminu, Registrar of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, highlighted the significance of writing minutes as a functional necessity in ensuring transparency, continuity, and accountability in university governance. He noted that minutes serve as a legal record, assigned responsibilities, and provide a reference tool for tracking progress.

Aminu outlined the basic elements of minute writing, including the heading, attendance, call to order, adoption of agenda, chairperson's remarks, consideration and adoption of previous minutes, matters arising, new business, and resumptions or decisions. He emphasized the importance of writing effective minutes in a clear, concise, and actionable manner.

The Registrar went further to share his wealth of knowledge and skills to enhance communication efficacy in writing reports, internal memos, circulars, and decision extracts. By mastering these skills, university administrators can promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in institutions, he said.

The workshop drew administrators from various Nigerian Universities, including; Alh. Kabiru Garba Aminu, Registrar of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Mr. Daburi Bello Misal, Registrar Bingham University Karu, Deputy Registrar of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Uchenna Kenneth Ekemezie and Barr. Temine Hauwa Lami amongst others.

The workshop was rounded-up with presentation of certificates to participants and group photographs.

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Directorate of Public Affairs 

Office of the Vice-Chancellor 

Bingham University