Brief history of the University of Ibadan, Computing Centre
The University of Ibadan Computing Centre was initially established as the IBM African Educational Centre, the first of its kind in Africa. It served as an IBM training centre for students from all over Africa between 1963 and 1966. It was handed over to the University of Ibadan in 1966. The Computing Centre services are geared towards teaching, research, University Systems’ support and public assistance. In essence, right from its inception it was designed to be a centre of excellence.
From inception, the Centre rendered teaching support and serves as laboratory for undergraduates taking computer science courses. This service was even extended to the Polytechnic, Ibadan in the early 1980s. furthermore non Credit courses were offered to Staff and students wishing not only to be computer-literate but also become skilful in using computers for their research work.
The centre handled Students Records Systems for the Academy Data Processing Unit ADPU of the university and was in a position to put in place an information system comprising Student Records System, Personnel Records System, Payroll Systems, etc., for the entire University. Thus, the issuance of transcripts was not a problem then because student’s records were always up to date.
According to Prof. Nike Osofisan (a one time staff of the Centre), the center also gave research support to staff and postgraduate students. Some of the programming work done for researchers in the University included that for the resettlement of villages in the Federal Capital (present-day Abuja) as well as Operation Research solution of the Second and Third National Development Plans.
The centre also offered service to Oyo State Government in the processing of the common entrance examination to secondary schools.
In essence, the centre helped to provide computer solutions to community, state and national problems.
As a result of these activities, the centre was a fund-generating unit for the University. Opening for 24 hours daily between Monday and Friday and for 12 hours during the weekend, it was the busiest unit next to Jaja Clinic that opened daily for 24 hours. The centre was clearly the reference point for all university computing centres in Africa, being the oldest and the best then among them.
The centre maintained this status for several years subsequently. However, commencing from the early 1980s financial constraints in the University of Ibadan emanating from the significant economic downturn in the country in general, coupled with internal administrative problems, made it increasingly difficult for the university to sustain the Centre as a centre of excellence, as well as enable it to achieve its stated goals and objectives. In the 1990s however, through, fund generated from organisation of some training programmes, there has been a remarkable renovations in the structure, facilities, infrastructure and general operations of the Centre. Plans are underway to revamp the Centre facilities to meet up with present university Information Technology needs and to synergize its activities with other IT based units in the university.
The main objectives of the University of Ibadan Computing Centre from inception are as follows:
Teaching Support
The computing centre is expected to be a laboratory for undergraduates taking computer science courses. It is also expected to provide computing facilities for all undergraduates as and when needed.
Research Support
A computer is a very vital research aid and it is therefore needed by a large number of the staff (especially the academic staff) and postgraduate students. In this respect, the centre is expected to provide adequate computer support services for all on-going research projects in the university.
Administrative Support
The centre is expected to handle the students’ Record System, Payroll system, Personal records etc. In short, the centre is expected to be in a position to put in place an information system for the university.
Coordination
The computing centre is expected to coordinate computing facilities/activities of the university. According to a university regulation, no unit or department of the university is expected to acquire computing facilities without reference to the Senate Computer Committee. By this procedure, the university through the committee (and the computing centre in particular) will be in a position to advise on a proposed acquisition vis-à-vis what already exist within the university system in terms of compatibility, adequacy, etc. also, by passing proposals through such a central coordinating point, bulk purchase can sometimes be made which will reduce cost; compatibility can be ensured; unnecessary duplications of activities (such as computerization of the same personnel Students’ records by say, both Bursary and Registry departments) can be eliminated; accurate records of facilities within the university will be readily available and information about these can easily be updated and circulated at regular intervals for the information of the university community. It is worth remaking that this regulation is neither being followed nor enforced. As a result, a number of equipments are under-utilized (some are in fact idle/ abandoned); some units have acquired equipments which they cannot maintain and have resulted to abandoning the equipments. All these of course constitute wastage.
Community Service
The university computing centre is expected to have a Software Development Unit apart from rendering services such as:
Training
Various training programmes are available to both the university community and to outsiders.
Organization of Workshops/Seminars
Consultancy to the community. If one notes that, in Nigeria, software development has received the least attention, one would see the necessity for a university computing centre such as this to have a viable software development unit. A software engineering unit requires adequate equipment as well as personnel.
Fund Generation
The computing centre is expected to generate some fund to meet some of its expenditures through the services identified under (e) above. In the past when the centre had adequate equipment and personnel, it was able to render service to Government, (e.g. processing of state common entrance examinations) corporate and individual users. The centre was also able to take on some other consultancy jobs. The centre was thus in a position to generate some fund. At present, due to inadequacy of facilities, the centre has not been able to take on big jobs. It has however been able to generate little fund, through organization of some training programmes.
Ag. Director
