American University of Nigeria The American University of Nigeria (AUN) is a private university in Yola the capital of Adamawa, Nigeria. It offers an American-style liberal arts higher education at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. Founded in 2003, AUN, Africa’s first “Development University,” is accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Its current faculty numbers 93, its undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 1500 students.[1] It is known as the first American-style university in Sub-Saharan Africa. AUN is accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).[2]
Founded in 2003 by a former Vice President of Nigeria and Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, American University of Nigeria enrolled its first students in 2005. The university is located in Yola, the state capital of Adamawa.
The university was originally named the ABTI American University of Nigeria before it was renamed to AUN. AUN is the first American-style institution of higher learning in sub-Saharan Africa (the only other such university in Africa is the American University in CairoinEgypt).[3] AUN is a member of the Global Liberal Arts Alliance.
Aerial Image of AUN CampusUniversity LibraryInside the AUN Library
The university's current president is Professor. DeWayne P. Frazier, preceded by Dr. David Huwiler, Dr. Michael Smith, Dr. Margee Ensign (2010-2016), (2021-2022), Dr. Dawn Dekle.
Students at the LaboratoryAUN Students in a Classroom
The institution was conceived as a university that would focus on development issues while providing an education modeled after the best US practices in content and pedagogy. The three original constituent schools were Arts & Sciences, Business & Entrepreneurship, and IT & Computing. In 2007, the name of the institution was changed to its present name of the American University of Nigeria (AUN). The pioneer class of 92 students graduated in 2009. Every class since then has graduated on schedule.
In 2008, the National Universities Commission (NUC) accredited AUN programs and re-accredited them in 2013. In 2012, AUN launched a graduate program, the Executive Master’s degree in Information Technology. Since then, more programs up to the Ph.D. level have been approved by the NUC.
In 2014, it opened the Robert A. Pastor Library and e-Learning Center.
The main campus comprises 17 buildings including nine Residence Halls, a spacious cafeteria, a 3,500-capacity Commencement Hall which also serves as indoor basketball and volleyball court, a dedicated Students Hub, an environmentally-themed administrative building, School of Arts & Sciences building, and Peter Okocha building which houses the School of Law and its library. A new, more spacious building for the School of Law with a 100-seater auditorium opens in 2022. The Robert A. Pastor Library and E-Learning Center, which won the American Library Associations’ 2013 Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects, contains a library section with over 250,000 digital holdings, classrooms, study rooms, reading zones, the Writing Center, classrooms for the New Foundation program, Advising Unit and the Honor Society tutoring center. The North Campus, which used to be the temporary site, is located across the street from the main campus.
Freshmen begin community service from the first semester during Freshmen Orientation. Throughout their four years, students are encouraged to volunteer actively in any of the regular, extracurricular outings that the Office organizes almost every day of the week. Students work with people and organizations in the community, including schools, health clinics, community associations, and the local government.
AUN EcoSential (Waste-to-Wealth Products)Students receiving lectures in a class room
AUN Arts and Sciences BuildingAUN Commencement Hall (Front View)University Club Swimming Pool at AUN
AUN is a residential campus situated on 2,400 hectares.[5] It is home to approximately 1,500 undergraduate students and 93 faculty members.
AUN Students playing Basketball
The university's e-Library Project received the American Library Association's Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects in 2013.[6][7]
The AUN Board of Trustees consists of one American, Tulane Professor of Public Health, Dr. William Ellis Bertrand, and 12 eminent Nigerians, with Senator Ben Obi as Chairman of the Governing Council. AUN’s BoT members come from diverse backgrounds in academia, private and public sectors. The President/Vice-Chancellor of AUN is the Chief Executive Officer. The President’s Executive Council (PEC) is the top management organ and has as its members the Provost/VP for Academic Affairs, deans of the six Schools, the Vice Presidents for Administration/Registrar, Finance, and Student Affairs/Residence Life; and heads of Security, Enrolment Management, Technology Support, Physical Planning, Marketing & Communications, and University Events. The Senate is responsible for academic discipline and curriculum oversight while the Congregation, which comprises all staff with a minimum of a first degree, meets at least once every semester to receive a report of the University’s progress from the President.
^Brotherton, Phaedra (2 December 2004). "American University Assists Nigeria In Establishing U.S.-Style University". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved 5 March 2018. ...AU has designated Dr. David Huwiler, the former president of the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) as the first president of AAUN.
"The American University of Nigeria to Host 4th Annual Homecoming - Premium Times Nigeria". Retrieved 2015-08-07.
"National Universities Commission". www.nuc.edu.ng. Archived from the original on 2015-08-15. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
"Home". www.aaicu.org. Archived from the original on 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
"Schools - American University of Nigeria". www.aun.edu.ng. Archived from the original on 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
"Facilities - American University of Nigeria". www.aun.edu.ng. Archived from the original on 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
"ALA Presidential Citation for Innovative International Library Projects | International Relations Round Table (IRRT)". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
Shaw, Claire (2013-08-07). "Library futures: American University of Nigeria, Nigeria". the Guardian. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
Brotherton, Phaedra (2 December 2004). "American University Assists Nigeria In Establishing U.S.-Style University". *Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved 5 March 2018. ...AU has designated Dr. David Huwiler, the former president of the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) as the first president of AAUN.
Anderson, Dan (25 February 2010). "Former Elon faculty member named president of The American University of Afghanistan". Elon University. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
