Information And Communication Technology Centre

Information And Communication Technology Centre (ICTC)

The Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC) started as Computer Department under the Centre for Special Projects (CSP) in 1980. The department developed into a Computer Centre in line with the increasing utilization of computer technologies in the development process worldwide. The name of the Centre was subsequently changed from Computer Centre to Information Technology Centre and was recently renamed Information and Communications Technology Centre (ICTC) in 2019 due to its numerous ICT related engagements.

ICTC has IT infrastructure to serve as an electronic test center. Its facilities have a seating capacity for 800 candidates at a time. The Centre has a 375kva standby generator to ensure uninterrupted power supply for its operations, especially during examination sessions. There are fifty-eight MTN Wi-Fi hotspots spread all over the University Campus to provide internet access to staff, students and other stakeholders. The ICTC also benefited from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NIDTA) Project of Campus wide area wireless network. However, the University was not impacted by the project due to the incompletion of the contract as well as changes in administration in NIDTA.

Information And Communication Technology Centre

Structure Of The Centre

Duties And Responsibilities Of The Centre

The Centre operates a Team Structure. The duties and responsibilities of the Centre are itemized below according to the Service Teams and their specific functions.

a) Director Services (DS)

i. General superintending and providing leadership for the Centre.

ii. Manage what goes onto the University website and Portal.

iii. Ensure general performance, control and discipline.

iv. Type and photocopy documents, handle mails and files.

v. Receive and control visitors to the Director’s Office.

vi. Provide driving services.

vii. Provide orderly services.

viii. Clean the offices and environment.

ix. Pack dirt and take to the dumpsite.

x. Take steps to ensure that the dumpsite is cleared of dirt regularly.

xi. Operate the Centre’s standby generator.

xii. Take steps to ensure supply and availability of diesel.

b) Technical Services (TS)

i. Manage the ICTC internet services across the University and the University email domain.

ii. Maintain facilities, systems, networks, related devices and collaborative security.

iii. Manage software and hardware installations and upgrades.

iv. Ensure e-circulation of notices/circulars and other information, including upload of Senate and Committee papers for meetings.

v. Provide e-presence at meetings, functions and events.

vi. Coordinate the use of the Centre, facilities and systems by internal and external units/persons/organizations.

c) Academic Services (AS)

i. Upload staff details, courses, grades and course allocations.

ii. Download attendance records, score sheets and results.

iii. Assist HODs, Exam Officers, Senate Business Committee and A&GRC in their respective assignments and in students’ course registration.

iv. Prepare e-results and Convocation Awardees.

v. Handle student result complaints and students’ clearance.

vi. Conduct scholarship and Turnitin/Plagiarism verifications

d) Production Services (PS)

i. Produce and upload graduands’ list for Convocation.

ii. Produce and dispatch Transcripts and Certificates to relevant offices in the University.

iii. Produce ID cards for staff and students.

iv. Attend JAMB CBT owners’ meetings, report outcomes to the Director and facilitate JAMB examinations.

v. Ensure that candidates register in line with JAMB specifications and the immediate security and safety of JAMB accessories at the Centre.

vi. Provide data management support to Admission Office during admissions and manage the e-examiner for Post UTME.

e) Development Services (DS)

i. Routinely monitor the Centre’s operations for quality assurance and troubleshooting for performance improvements.

ii. Analyze systems, processes and complaints for purpose of designing and testing products or applications for problem resolution.

iii. Design and implement training programmes for internal and external customers of the Centre.

iv. Lead support for the Continuing Education Centre, Business School, Post Graduate School and Distance Learning Centre for full migration online and effective take-off of the Learning Management System.

f) Self-help Services (SS)

i. Aid students to make payments and register on Ecampus.

ii. Aid JAMB candidates make payments

iii. Counsel JAMB candidates and their guardians on compulsory subject combinations for JAMB Examinations and a variety of related issues.

iv. Upload records and other documents of students on Ecampus.

v. Build students’ capacity to use the Ecampus.

vi. Liaise with Cinfores Help Desk to provide feedback to students

g) Bursary Services (BS)

i. Maintain inventory of, and account for, assets held within the Centre and arrange for the disposal of unserviceable items.

ii. Prepare budgetary estimates of the Centre for the University Annual Budget.

iii. Account for revenue generated by, or approved for, the Centre and expenses incurred.

iv. Handle deposits, withdrawals, bill settlements, fund retirements and account reconciliations.

v. Monitor, analyze and report on fee-related transactions executed online through the Ecampus portal.

vi. Advise on revenue improvement and cost reduction strategies.

h) Guard Services (GS)

i. Control access to the Centre, offices, facilities and personnel.

ii. Ensure safety of the Centre, offices, facilities, systems, staff and students within the Centre.

iii. Manage security radio and camera services from the Centre.

iv. Patrol the Centre regularly to avoid security incidences.

v. Ensure that security related equipment, including CCTV cameras, radios and fire service items at the Centre, are in good condition and functioning.

Director, ICTC (2022 - Date)

Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi

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The current Director, the 7^th, who resumed office on Monday, 28^th March, 2022, is Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi. A Professor of Management, he is of the Department of Management, Faculty of Management Sciences of the University. He holds the B.Ed. (Economics), MBA (Management), and PhD (Organizational Behaviour) degrees. His research interest cuts across Organizational Behaviour, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations; subjects he has taught for several years and areas in which he has published widely and offers consultancy services.

Former Directors

NAME	POSITION	TENURE
Dr. C. O. Angaye	Ag. Head of Department	1980-1983
Dr. J. Wilk	Ag. Director	1983
Prof. S. I. Nwankwo	Director	1991-2002
Prof. J. C. Chinwah	Director	2002-2007
Prof. S. A. Braide	Director	2007-2018
Prof. C. Israel-Cookey	Director	2019-2022

OUR MISSION

To facilitate world-leading research, teaching and learning through the provision of quality and sustainable ICT solutions and services to meet the aspiration of the University community.

OUR VISION

To become a dynamic world-class ICT Centre, powering creativity and innovation within and outside the University.

OUR OBJECTIVES

Coordinate the operations and administration of the University online processes, including students’ admission, registration, fees payment, result production, hostel accommodation allocation and production of transcripts, among others.

Provide training programmes on computer, information and communication technology to students, staff and the public.

Manage internet services across the University.

Develop and maintain information and technology systems and infrastructure such as emails for students and staff.

Encourage and undertake research and development in the area of information and communication technology.

CORE VALUES

Committed to abide by the virtues of honesty and integrity.
Committed to excellence, efficiency and effectiveness.
Committed to dedication and professionalism in the discharge of duties.
Committed to a sense of respect, discipline and responsibility.
Committed to prompt problem resolution and value addition.

PROFILE OF CURRENT DIRECTOR

In addition to a number of other administrative positions he has held in this institution, he was Head of Department for seven consecutive years (Management- 5 years and Office and Information Management- 2 years), Faculty Sub-Dean, Member of the 12^th Governing Council, representing the Alumni and President of the University Senior Staff (2017-2021). Until his appointment as Director, he was the Dean of Student Affairs for nearly seven years (November, 2015 to March, 2022), a position that enabled him to manage online allocation of students’ hostels, help students having challenges on the University eCampus platform for students’ registration, fees payment, examination and record management and introduce the Internet-based form of Electronic voting (E-voting) in 2016 for the conduct of student leaders’ elections on campus.

He took this to a larger platform, when it was used to conduct the election of officers of the umbrella organization of the people of the 4^th largest ethnic group in Nigeria on April 30, 2021; an election adjudged to be the freest, fairest and most transparent the Ijaw ethnic nationality in Nigeria has ever experienced. This is a testimony of a successful gown-town relationship. Coming from a higher institution background, the E-voting experiences provide empirical evidence in mainstreaming e-learning from a holistic perspective; and this gave rise to his presentation at the 15^th Association of African Universities (AAU) General Conference, 2021.

PROSPECTS OF THE CENTRE

To handle advanced training such as CISCO, Programming languages etc

To develop programmes and solutions in order to solve the IT needs and challenges of the state

Internet access for the entire university community – offices, hostels etc.

Name	Rank	Area Of Specialisation	Email
Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi	Professor/Director	Organizational Behaviour and Human Resource Management	zeb-obipi.isaac@ust.edu.ng
Engr. Dr. Sunny Orike	Reader/Deputy Director	Artificial Intelligence	orike.sunny@ust.edu.ng
Dr. Gift O. Eke	Accountant		eke.gift@ust.edu.ng
Ochomma Queenette Chinwendu	Asst. Chief System Analyst	System Analysis	ochomma.queenette@ust.edu.ng
Opuwari Macauley Victor	Prin. Syst. Analyst/Programmer	Networks and System Analysis	opuwari.macauley@ust.edu.ng
Nwideewi Nule Waaka	Prin. Syst. Analyst/Programmer		nule.nwideewi@ust.edu.ng
Dunmonye Burabari	Prin. Syst. Analyst/Programmer		burabari.ueh-kabari@ust.edu.ng
Ossai Iyaye	Prin. Syst. Analyst/Programmer	System Analysis	iyaye@ust.edu.ng
Ene Donald	Senior Technologist	Networks	donald.ene@ust.edu.ng
Lenu Godwin Fred	Senior Technologist	Networks	godwin.lenu@ust.edu.ng
Emmanuel Davies Ibiso	Senior Technologist		ibiso.davies@ust.edu.ng
Kpobe Baridura Mimi	Senior Technologist		baridura.kpobe@ust.edu.ng
Ayozie Ikechukwu	Senior System Analyst	Engineering	ikechukwu.ayozie@ust.edu.ng
Bibi Nornubari Albert	Senior Technologist	Networks	nornubari.bibi@ust.edu.ng
Frank Aniefiok Akpan	System Analyst 1	UI/UX Designer	frank.akpan@ust.edu.ng
Onu Wene	Technologist II	UI/UX Software/ Hardware	NIL
Onwuka Chuka Emmanuel	Computer Programmer	Graphic Design	onwukachuka@gmail.com
Chukwuigwe Chigoziri	System Analyst/Programmer II	Networking	chukuigwe.chigoziri@ust.edu.ng
Nwali Ifeanyi Robert	System Analyst/Programmer II		lilrobert4real@gmail.com
Godson Kennedy Ekegwu	BSc		godson.ekegwu1@ust.edu.ng
Jamabo Pelebo	Technologist II		pelebo.jamabo@ust.edu.ng
Alete-Omoni Ogbonda Chimele	Technologist II	Database	ogbonda.alete-omoni@ust.edu.ng
Osarokote Rollins Njujuma	Higher Executive Officer (Accounts)		njujzoe@gmail.com
Ezekwu Mercy	Administration Officer II		mercy4royalty@gmail.com

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CENTRE

The Centre has developed in delivering support in the following areas:

e-administration: this has brought in huge cost savings for the university as most of the paper-related activities have been reduced to the barest minimum.

e-meetings: Senate meetings are now held in a paperless environment. Minutes and papers for the e-senate are now produced and distributed electronically making storage and retrieval of Senate information easier and faster. Senate Undergraduate Admissions Committee, Assessment and Graduation Committee, Faculty Board Meetings and Postgraduate Board and the Centre for Continuing Education Board Meeting are all held electronically.

Computer Based Test (CBT) Centre: the Centre has also become a CBT centre for conducting JAMB Registrations and Examinations; also for other corporate organisations to carry out promotion and job interviews.

e-library: the Centre also supports the Library Unit with Its e-programmes and internet services.

e-voting/elections: Student Union Elections are now carried out electronically and voting is hitch free.

Learning Management System (LMS): At the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The ICTC developed an e-learning platform (LMS) to enable students and staff to execute teaching and examination activities effectively.

Information Technology Academy (ITA): the Centre also runs an ITA programme which is a Microsoft accredited ICT Academy and a CISCO accredited Technology Partner. With state of the art facilities, the University therefore, offers programmes leading to Microsoft and CISCO accredited certifications in ICT and Networking.

Turn-it-in: this internet based anti-plagiarism software enables the check of possible cases of plagiarism. It assists to access the originality of a report (dissertation/thesis) and interpretation of the originality of the report.

CONCLUSION

The Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC) presently comprises twenty-four members of staff who are, in the main, system analysts and technologists. Not only has the Centre an enhanced teaching /learning process, the e-University now stands out in e-administrations, e-Senate and e-capability of staff and students. It is, indeed, heartening that the Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and runs the Information Technology Academy. The enviable infrastructure notwithstanding, more progress is still envisaged as the ICTC grows not only to meet the aspirations and visions of the founding fathers but also the demands of the current trends in the Information Technology World.