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Admin
- Fri 04,Sep 2026
UAES Holds Maiden Convocation September 5, Graduates 505 Students Including 20 First Class Honours
The University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Umuagwo, Imo State, is set to hold its Maiden Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, September 5, 2026, with a total of 505 students graduating across various academic programmes.
The historic ceremony will feature graduates from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, including 20 First Class graduates, marking a major milestone in the growth and development of the University.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christopher Chiedozie Eze, disclosed this during a pre-convocation press conference held at the Senate Chamber of the University on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The briefing provided an opportunity for the Vice-Chancellor to highlight the University’s achievements, growth trajectory and strategic development since its establishment.
According to Professor Eze, the 2024/2025 academic session produced 115 graduates from 14 departments, including six First Class graduates, while the 2025/2026 academic session produced 390 graduates from 24 departments, including 14 First Class graduates.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced the Overall Best Graduating Students for the two academic sessions.
Miss Alfred Ugochi Juliet of the Department of Business Administration emerged Overall Best Graduating Student for the 2024/2025 academic session with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.92, while Mr. Oji Shedrach Ozeum of the Department of Marketing emerged Overall Best Graduating Student for the 2025/2026 academic session with a CGPA of 4.90.
Professor Eze described the maiden convocation as an important opportunity for the University to demonstrate, through verifiable achievements, the progress it has made since its establishment.
“It is a young university’s first opportunity to stand before the public and say, with evidence rather than promise: this is what we set out to build, and this is what we have built.”
UAES Growth and Development
The University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences was established by law on February 6, 2019, and commenced academic activities on May 6, 2021.
Professor Christopher Chiedozie Eze assumed office as the second substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University on November 23, 2022.
The University currently operates five Faculties, namely:
Faculty of Agriculture; Faculty of Environmental Sciences; Faculty of Science and Computing; Faculty of Engineering; and Faculty of Arts, Management and Social Sciences.
These Faculties collectively comprise 31 Departments.
The University currently has a workforce of 689 staff, comprising 284 academic staff and 405 non-academic staff.
Student enrolment has also recorded steady growth since the commencement of academic activities. From the initial 291 undergraduate students admitted during the 2021/2022 academic session, the University has cumulatively admitted 2,355 students, with approximately 2,237 students currently on campus.
Academic Quality and Accreditation
Highlighting the University’s commitment to academic quality and standards, Professor Eze disclosed that 24 academic programmes currently enjoy full accreditation, while four other programmes have interim accreditation and are undergoing further improvement.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasised that UAES graduates receive multidisciplinary exposure beyond their core areas of study, particularly in agriculture, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship.
This approach, according to him, is designed to ensure that graduates of the University possess not only academic knowledge but also practical and entrepreneurial competencies required to function effectively in contemporary society.
Research, Innovation and International Recognition
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted significant advances recorded by the University in research, innovation and international collaboration.
Researchers from UAES have attracted projects supported by international organisations and development partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Gates Foundation, RTI International and RUFORUM.
At the national level, the University has secured TETFund National Research Fund grants in three consecutive cycles, demonstrating the increasing competitiveness of its researchers.
One of the University’s notable innovation achievements came in 2025 when a UAES research team participated in the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) alongside selected institutions across Nigeria.
The UAES-developed AgroNova Dryer, a hybrid solar-battery-powered multi-crop drying system, emerged Overall Champion and also won the Pitch Deck Champion Award.
The innovation was subsequently patented by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in November 2025.
The University has also earned continental recognition through its engagement with the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), including its involvement in curriculum development for the Neglected and Underutilised Species programme.
Infrastructure Development
Professor Eze further disclosed that between November 2022 and August 2026, the University implemented more than 160 construction, rehabilitation, repair and procurement projects.
These interventions were supported by TETFund, the Imo State Government and the University’s Internally Generated Revenue.
Major interventions include improvements to the Faculty of Engineering complex, a 500-capacity lecture hall, the University Medical Centre, student hostels, laboratories and solar-powered lighting installations across student residential facilities.
These projects form part of the University’s continuing efforts to provide a conducive environment for teaching, learning, research and student development.
Staff Development and Capacity Building
Staff development has remained another major priority of the University administration.
Since 2023, 144 members of staff have been sponsored to conferences, with expenditure exceeding ?100 million, while 288 staff members have benefited from TETFund-sponsored training.
A further 105 staff members have received support through Institution-Based Research Grants, while 55 members of staff are currently benefiting from TETFund doctoral scholarships.
In addition, 289 members of staff have benefited from training offered through the FUTO Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards, with 40 receiving diplomas in areas covered by the programme.
Building for the Future
Professor Eze reaffirmed the commitment of the University Management to strengthening academic excellence, research, innovation, infrastructure, staff development, entrepreneurship and strategic partnerships as UAES enters the next phase of its development.
He also invited prospective students and parents to take advantage of the ongoing 2026/2027 admission exercise, assuring them of the University’s commitment to producing graduates equipped with the knowledge, practical competence and entrepreneurial orientation required to become productive members of society.
The Vice-Chancellor further called on individuals, organisations, development agencies, research institutions and industries to deepen partnerships with the University in areas such as scholarships, research, innovation, hostel and laboratory development, and enhancement of library resources.
Professor Eze acknowledged that, as a young and growing institution, UAES still faces challenges relating to funding, staffing, infrastructure and security, but stressed that substantial progress has been recorded within a relatively short period.
“The resources entrusted to this administration have been spent on the ground, brick by brick, and the trust our pioneer students and their parents placed in a young institution is being honoured.”
The Maiden Convocation Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2026, therefore marks a defining milestone in the history of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, as the institution graduates its first two sets of students and formally celebrates the progress recorded since the commencement of academic activities.
Related Media Report
This development was also reported by Imo Trumpeta in its report titled:
“UAES Sets September 5th 2026 For Maiden Convocation Ceremony Of 505 Students, 20 First Class Graduates Inclusive – As VC, Prof Eze Reels Out Varsity's Five-Year Trajectory.”
