Twenty six professionals drawn from eight accreditation panels arrived at the University of Ibadan on Monday to evaluate postgraduate programmes at the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute, in what the Institution's Vice Chancellor described as a landmark exercise for continental education.

The National Universities Commission coordinated the deployment, with Deputy Director Uchenna Obidiagbo confirming the composition of the panels during a visit to Vice Chancellor Kayode Adebowale. Obidiagbo listed the eight programmes earmarked for assessment as Plant Breeding; Medicinal Plant Research and Drug Development; Petroleum Geoscience; Avian Medicine and Vaccine Production and Quality Control; Reproductive Health; Sports Management and Policy Development; Environmental Management; and Mineral Exploration.

Adebowale noted that the exercise held special significance, as it marked the first accreditation of postgraduate programmes at PAULESI, a continental initiative of the African Union Commission hosted by the University of Ibadan, following a competitive bidding process.

"Accreditation exercises enable Universities to measure themselves against global standards and best practices," he stated, adding that the outcome would serve as a template for the continuous improvement of postgraduate education across Africa.

The Vice Chancellor further disclosed that similar Institutes under the African Union Commission's framework had been established in Kenya, South Africa, Algeria and Cameroon, with Nigeria's facility at the University of Ibadan serving the West African sub region.

"PAULESI is aimed at promoting research and producing a critical mass of researchers capable of addressing Africa's developmental challenges," Adebowale stated.

He acknowledged the challenges facing public universities but maintained that they remained central to higher education development in Nigeria, urging Institutions to sustain standards that keep them globally competitive.

Speaking on behalf of the accreditation panels, Professor Saleh Ado, who led the Reproductive Health Team, described the visiting experts and the university as partners in progress and called on all stakeholders to adhere strictly to NUC guidelines.

"The accreditation exercise is important for quality assurance and maintaining academic standards in Nigerian Universities," Ado said, adding that the process would help strengthen programme quality and ensure alignment with national and international benchmarks.