Ajayi Crowther University (ACU) continues to stand out among private faith-based universities in Nigeria, blending academic innovation with moral and entrepreneurial training, even as rising concerns about its ICT-based examination systems call for urgent reform.
During an on-campus tour in July 2025, staff and students shared a uniform message: ACU excels in personal mentorship, interdisciplinary learning, and character development, yet struggles persist in its ICT infrastructure, particularly affecting online assessments.
Table of Contents
Innovation in the Classroom and Curriculum
ACU has earned a reputation for innovation in disciplines like Mass Communication, Nursing, Law, and Performing Arts. The university integrates entrepreneurship and digital literacy across its programmes, equipping students with practical, market-relevant skills that extend beyond theory.
Academic spaces we visited showcased a variety of blended-learning tools and smart classroom technologies, signalling the institution’s post–COVID‑19 pivot toward digital delivery. However, feedback from students and staff indicates that platform reliability remains inconsistent.
At the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Vocational Studies, a student exhibition highlighted skills in fashion design, soap-making, digital photography, and agricultural processing. Here, entrepreneurship isn’t just a course—it’s an expectation: each graduate departs with at least one income-generating skill.
Holistic Development with Mind Education
A pioneering initiative at ACU is the Mind Education programme, incorporated into the curriculum since 2023. Developed in partnership with South Korean educators, the program aims to elevate students’ emotional intelligence, resilience, patience, and decision‑making—qualities vital for personal and national development.
The Vice‑Chancellor described Mind Education as one of the three certificates awarded upon graduation, recognizing its central role in shaping graduates’ mental discipline and social awareness. Since the launch, students and staff alike have reported measurable improvements in self‑control and interpersonal effectiveness.
Academic Mentorship and Faculty Engagement
One of ACU’s defining strengths is its accessible, student-focused faculty. Lecturers frequently hold one‑on‑one sessions and revision classes, empowering students far beyond didactic instruction. In the Faculty of Law, for example, students praised their instructors as mentors invested in both intellectual and personal growth.
This culture of engagement helps foster an intimate academic environment uncommon in larger public universities, reinforcing a sense of scholarly community and support.
Library and Research Resources
ACU’s library system, including a robust e‑library, stood out for its support of academic research. Students appreciated the ease of accessing journals, databases, and citation tools—particularly during final-year projects. Library staff were visible and accessible, supporting research tools and guiding students in effective information usage.
The institution’s Directorate of Research, Innovation and Linkages further underscores its commitment. ACU staff recently participated in workshops focused on enhancing university visibility online and securing Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP) certification—a critical step for global funding and collaborative research access.
Alarms Over ICT-Based Exams: Students Call for Reform
Despite the strides in innovation, ACU faces serious ICT challenges. In prior examinations, many students reported unexplained low or missing grades, especially in computer‑based tests.
A 200-level student described the grievance process as bureaucratic and unresponsive, telling our team: “We have gone to the ICT centre, and all they tell us is to ‘check back’ or ‘wait for rectification’. But the semester is almost over, and nothing has changed.”
Faculty too expressed concern anonymously. One lecturer noted that high-performing students were failing written CBT sections, suggesting possible software or database glitches during result compilation: “It’s not adding up… Many brilliant students failed the CBT. We suspect software errors or database failures during result compilation.”
These system errors pose tangible threats to student progression and graduation timelines. Students are urging the Vice‑Chancellor and ICT Director to act swiftly: investigate faults, correct results, and overhaul systems before the next exams begin.
Leadership Response and Student Engagement
Vice‑Chancellor Professor Timothy A. Adebayo has reportedly engaged directly with student concerns. Open town halls allow students to voice complaints, while an ICT review team has been established to address exam system failures and prevent recurrence.
A university insider affirmed that department heads are actively reviewing anomaly reports and liaising with students. One student from Nursing noted: “It’s not perfect… but the school is doing better than many others when it comes to responding quickly and involving students in the process.”
Moral Education and Community Values
Faith and character development remain cornerstones of ACU life. Daily devotions and weekly religious services are integral, fostering discipline and a shared moral ethos.
Through its chaplaincy and prescribed moral instruction courses, ACU maintains a distinct identity rooted in the Anglican tradition. This spiritual orientation informs both academic and personal conduct, contributing to a campus culture of integrity.
Alumni Engagement and Career Pathways
ACU’s alumni network is increasingly active, particularly in mentoring students from the Performing Arts, Communication, and related faculties. Recent workshops led by alumni working in Nollywood, radio, and media offer students direct exposure to industry realities and opportunities. These connections sharpen students’ career readiness and expand professional horizons.
Strengths, Challenges, and Path to Progress
Strengths
- Interdisciplinary learning, with practical entrepreneurship-integrated training.
- Mind Education curriculum enhances emotional and social skills.
- A personal mentorship culture in smaller student-faculty settings.
- Research and grant capacity strengthened through training and partnership.
- Active alumni involvement bridging industry and education.
Challenges
- Persistent ICT infrastructure flaws are disrupting online assessments.
- Inefficient complaint resolution and system transparency.
- Funding limitations affect equipment, staffing, and digital maintenance.
Opportunities
- Strengthening ICT platforms through ongoing monitoring and technical audits.
- Scaling Mind Education’s success for broader influence.
- Expanding collaborations for technological funding and research support.
- Streamlining student grievance mechanisms with clear timelines and responses.
Conclusion
Ajayi Crowther University is defined not by its shortcomings but by its agency in navigating them. At a time when colleges worldwide grapple with the digital divide, ACU demonstrates a rare integration of spiritual formation, academic mentorship, and innovation-driven teaching.
Its advances in entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence training, and student‑focused faculty—paired with upcoming ICT system reforms—position it as a beacon of progressive private education in Nigeria. Stakeholders—students, staff, and alumni—express growing confidence that with sustained investment in digital infrastructure and more responsive administration, ACU will continue to set benchmarks for holistic university education in the region.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
READ THE LATEST EDUCATION NEWS
