UNICAL Senate Gives Nod to Faculty of Communication and Media Studies
By Judex Okoro
The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has recorded another landmark achievement as its Senate has approved the creation of a Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. The development is expected to boost academic training and research in media and communication-related disciplines.
The new faculty, endorsed by the Senate on Thursday, will commence with seven foundational departments: Mass Communication, Public Relations, Development Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, Advertising, Strategic Communication, and Broadcasting.
Announcing the approval, Dr. Lawrence Ekwok, Head of the Department of Mass Communication, described the move as a significant step forward for the institution. He explained that the Mass Communication Department has now evolved into a fully-fledged faculty after years of hard work and dedication by staff and stakeholders.
“To the glory of God, the Senate of the University of Calabar today approved the establishment of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies,” Ekwok stated. “Under my leadership as Head of the Department of Mass Communication, our department has blossomed into a faculty with seven departments. We are especially grateful to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, for her purposeful leadership.”
Ekwok also expressed appreciation to the Senate for its support, assuring that the faculty would set new standards in media education, research, and professional practice.
Senator Eta Agbor, a student union activist representing the Faculty of Arts in the Postgraduate Students’ Union Government, congratulated Dr. Ekwok and his team for their tenacity and commitment, which, he said, paved the way for the unbundling of the department in line with the National Universities Commission (NUC) guidelines.
He praised Prof. Obi for driving reforms that continue to expand UNICAL’s academic frontiers and reposition the university to meet global manpower needs. Agbor further called on the management to expedite the mobilisation of pending batches of Mass Communication graduates for the National Youth Service Corps programme, noting that many are eager to pursue their career goals.
With the Senate’s approval, UNICAL has joined the growing list of Nigerian universities offering specialised programmes across diverse branches of communication and media studies, reinforcing its status as a centre for academic excellence in the country.
