Overview

You are welcome to Covenant University today, and you are welcome any other time you choose to come. We are not in doubt that the timing of your visit is GOD chosen. Our response towards this visit is that we have an opportunity to let you know where we were, where we are and where we have strategically planned to be. Our greatest goal is to attain World Class Status. We are aware that our strength is in the uniqueness of the difference we are making. Our success story is based on the actualization of our strategic plan of doing things in a different way and achieving different results. We plan to go places as we have succeeded in discovering the points upon which we can solidly build a rebranded Architecture. Once again, you are welcome to the land of promise where all hands are on deck in the Service of GOD. We need the grace of GOD to succeed. So help us GOD. Amen.

Departmental activities

As part of the effort to enhance teaching and learning in the Department of Architecture, Covenant University a number of academic and extracurricular activities usually are organized in the department. These activities include but not limited to ARCHIFUSE, Architectural Retreat, Weekly Seminars and Students’ Induction Programme.

THE ARCHIFUSE

The ARCHIFUSE is an annual event initiated by the student body under the auspices of the Society of Architecture Students (SAS). As the nature implies, it is a fusion architectural practice and architectural education which has the aim of creating a platform were architects in practice share their uncommon experience with architectural educators and the students of architecture. This event is usually a week long programme featuring talk shows, counselling, seminars, exhibitions, awareness campaigns, design competitions and excursion/tours. Notably, the ARCHIFUSE provides an avenue were students are free to ask questions related to architectural practice, requirements for membership of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), registration with the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and prospects in architecture as a profession and vocation. Due the success recorded in the past editions of this event it is now recognised as a University event and given a slot in the University annual calendar.

ARCHITECTURAL RETREAT

This is another annual event in the department of Architecture, Covenant University. It is an academic retreat which is principally aimed at improving staff capacity in handling teaching, research and community development activities. In addition, it is designed to widen staff perception of academic issues and enhance their ability to deal with such issues with dispatch. One of the key objectives of this event is to create an informal environment outside the confinement of the University setting where staff freely discuss a wide range of issues relate to curriculum development, lecture delivery and strategies for mentoring students as well as junior staff members. For this reason, it has been the common practice to invite experienced academics and professionals to shear their wealth of experience in an atmosphere that promotes mutual interaction.

Although, the academic retreat has its primary target on capacity building for academic staff, representatives of the study body are also involved. This is to enable the student also has sight into the capacity building process that supports their learning base. In addition, it provides the students an opportunity to interact with their teachers outside the formal academic environment of the University.

WEEKLY SEMINARS

Globally, world-Class Universities and faculties are known for their research base. In view of the fact that Covenant University is in pursuit of joining the league of world class Universities, the Department of Architecture is not left out in the drive to achieve this goal. Therefore, this department has instituted a weekly seminar series for its faculty. The seminar series holds on Fridays, and it is an avenue where academic staff member presents their current researchers for comments, debates and discussion. In view of the fact that most faculty members are on their PhD programmes, the weekly seminar series are for the meantime devoted to the presentation of PhD research works. However, senior faculty members within and outside the department are invited as guest lecturers to share part of their experience and make inputs to ongoing PhD research works of faculty members.

Notably, the weekly seminar series of the department of architecture have been instrumental to speedy for the defence of many PhD proposals and timely completion of PhD studies of a number of faculty members in this department. Therefore, it is one of the capacity building initiatives that have produced tangible results in a very short time.