University of Lagos

In order to achieve rapid industrialization and development after independence, Nigeria needed to invest in the training of a professional workforce. The indispensable need to create more universities to reach this goal was facilitated by the establishment of the University of Lagos in 1962. The Eric Ashby Commission on Post School Certificate and Higher Education was established by the Nigerian Government in May 1959. The Ashby Commission’s report, titled Investment in Education, recommended the establishment of a new university in Lagos, the then Federal Capital, to provide education for students in Economics, Commerce, Business Administration, and Higher Management Studies. In 1961, UNESCO Advisory Commission was assigned the detailed planning of the new university by the Federal Government. However, whereas the Ashby Commission had envisaged a non-residential institution which would be cited in the business district of Central Lagos, the UNESCO Commission opted for a traditional university, "a complete all encompassing institution" with residential accommodation on a large campus. Following the acceptance of the UNESCO Commission’s report, the University of Lagos was established on 22 October 1962 on the authority of the University of Lagos Act of 1962. The act provided for a provisional council for the university, a senate to preside over academic affairs, and a separate council for the College of Medicine. This was rather unusual for, by authority of the act, the University consisted of two separate institutions—the main university and an autonomous medical school. The link between the two institutions was tenuous at best, consisting of reciprocal representation on both councils and membership in the University Senate by professors in the medical school. The chancellor is the ceremonial head of the university who, in the name of the university, confers all degrees. The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for the day-to-day running of the university and accountable to the council. The council is responsible for the selection of all vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors and deans of faculty. The responsibility for regulating all teaching, research and academic functions of the university falls on the senate, as set out in the University of Lagos Act and in the Statute of the University of Lagos. Additionally, the interests of the university's students are represented by the Students' Representative Council (SRC), which also selects representatives to the senate and council via the Dean of Student Affairs.