The University of Nigeria is the first indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is modelled after the American educational system. It was the first land-grant university in Africa and one of the five most reputed universities in Nigeria. The university has 17 Faculties and 102 academic departments. The university offers over 108 undergraduate programs and 211 postgraduate programmes.<ref>University of Nigeria. Unn.edu.ng. Retrieved on 17 October 2011.</ref>
Through its vast network of graduates, the University of Nigeria has made a substantial contribution to the political, industrial, economic, and cultural growth of Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large.
A law to establish a university in the Eastern Region of Nigeria was passed on 18 May 1955.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Advice was sought from educationists in the UK and the US to help in the planning of the physical and educational aspects of the proposed university.
The results of their efforts were contained in a white paper issued by the Eastern Nigeria Government on 30 November 1958. They had recommended, "that the development of the University of Nigeria based upon the concept of service to problems and needs of Nigeria, is a desirable project and one that should receive support from any source which could help to make it a sound endeavour".
They further recommended that a provisional council be established to "draw upon the technical and consultative resources available throughout the world for help in planning the institution".
The provisional council, authorized by the Eastern Nigeria Legislature, was appointed by the Governor in Council in April 1959, and given the necessary financial and administrative powers to build a sound university. It reflected the spirit of international co-operation which has given birth to the institution. It consisted of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, chairman, Dr T. Olawale Elias and Dr Okechukwu Ikejiani from the Federation of Nigeria, J. S. Fulton from the United Kingdom, Dr. Marguerite Cartwright and Dr. Eldon Lee Johnson from the United States. The university was formally opened on 7 October 1960, as the climax to the Nigerian independence celebrations in the country's Eastern Region, by Princess Alexandra of Kent. Classes began on 17 October 1960 with an enrollment of 220 students and 13 members of the academic staff. The opening convocation addresses were delivered by the Chairman of the Provisional Council, Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President of the Federation of Nigeria, and by John A. Hannah, president of Michigan State University.Template:Cn
The university was fully autonomous, with the power to grant its own degrees. Technically speaking, therefore, it became the first fully-fledged university in Nigeria, since Ibadan was still at that time a university college granting London degrees. It also became the first university established by a Nigerian Regional Government. The University College Ibadan, the oldest degree-awarding institution, cut its umbilical cord with London in January 1963, becoming the University of Ibadan. In July 1967, it turned out the first graduates holding Ibadan (rather than London) degrees,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> by which time Nsukka had produced two crops of graduates and taken all the publicity for turning out the first graduates of an autonomous Nigerian university.<ref>University Development in Africa – The Nigerian Experience by Chukwuemeka Ike, Oxford University Press, 1976, pp 9</ref>
Campuses
University of Nigeria Enugu Campus
The university has four campuses:
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN,
University of Nigeria Enugu campus, UNEC.
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH - Ituku-Ozalla
The main campus of the university is located on 871 hectares of hilly savannah in the town of Nsukka, about eighty kilometres north of Enugu, and enjoys a very pleasant and healthy climate. Additionally 209 hectares of arable land are available for an experimental agricultural farm and 207 hectares for staff housing development. There is regular road transport between Nsukka and Enugu, and Nsukka is also quite easily accessible from all parts of Nigeria. There are modern shopping facilities and a large market in Nsukka town.
The official name of the university is the University of Nigeria<ref>University of Nigeria Act</ref> and the official acronym is UNN. "UN" stands for University of Nigeria while the last "N" stands for Nsukka. This acronym is also shared by the main campus of the university, Nsukka (University of Nigeria, Nsukka). Thus technically, the name University of Nigeria, Nsukka refers to the main campus at Nsukka only while the name University of Nigeria refers to all the campuses of the university. References may be made to the location of the other campuses by mentioning the names of the cities where they are situated rather than a blanket description with the name Nsukka. Students at the Enugu Campus prefer to write the name of their school as University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC)<ref>See UNEC POST- an annual magazine of the Students Union Government of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus</ref> if they must add the location of their school. Students from other campuses of the school also prefer same. Official documents of the school describes the school as simply University of Nigeria. They also make this dichotomy when referring to different campuses of the school.
St. Peter's Chaplaincy, University of Nigeria, serves the needs of the Catholic parishioners within the university.
There are many other Churches and Fellowships located within the University. Some of the Churches include Assemblies of God Church, Dominion City, Ideal Life City, Lighthouse Christian Centre, His Voice Universal, Christ Awareness Network, and The Abiding Word Group (TAWG). Some of the Fellowships include Winners' Campus Fellowship (WCF), CASOR, Scripture Union Campus Fellowship (SUCF), Christian Union (CU), Anglican Student Fellowship (ASF), SCM, Methodist Student Fellowship, Presbyterian Student Fellowship (PSF), Deeper Life Christian Fellowship (DLCF), Watchman, and The Lord's Chosen Campus Fellowship (TLCCF).
Novelist Chinua Achebe held research and teaching appointments at the university, beginning in the early 1970s. He worked in the faculty of arts with critic and African literature scholar Donatus Nwoga.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Astrophysicist Sam Okoye founded the Space Research Center in 1972. The Centre for Basic Space Research remains one of the few institutions in Africa that carries out research and offers courses in astronomy at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
The first open heart surgical operation in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa was undertaken in 1974 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu. The team was led by visiting Magdi Yacoub from the UK and others in the team included Professors Fabian Udekwu and Anyanwu. The College of Medicine has since evolved into the centre for cardiothoracic surgery and tropical cardiology excellence for the West Africa region with the siting of the National Cardiothoracic Center at UNTH Enugu. Much medical research is also being carried out in the college.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Department of Fine and Applied Arts is known for the Nsukka group – seven artists associated with a system of traditional Igbo designs and styles known as uli.<ref>The Poetics of LineTemplate:Webarchive. Africa.si.edu. Retrieved on 17 October 2011.</ref><ref>The Poetics of Line. Africa.si.edu. Retrieved on 17 October 2011.</ref>
The Law Faculty of the university is the oldest in Nigeria; it was established in 1960.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Department of Electronic Engineering was named a Center of Excellence in Electronics by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1982. The department was established in 1981 under the faculty of engineering after the previous department of electronic engineering was split into two separate department.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The department offers a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronic Engineering to undergraduates, as well a MSC and Doctoral degree program in relevant specializations under Electronic Engineering. The Department has produced the highest number of first-class graduate than any other department in the university. The department has also produced many overall best graduating students more than any department in the university. It has produced overall university best for the three consecutive academic session in 1995/1996 1996/1997 1997/1998.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka Libraries consist of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, the Enugu Campus Main Library and the Medical Library located at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla. On 8 March 2009, the multi-complex Nnamdi Azikiwe Library of University of Nigeria, Nsukka was officially opened by the then minister of Education, Dr Sam Egwu.<ref name="Eke-2014">Template:Cite journal</ref> The library has embraced information technology to provide an effective library service to users and this was why it was one of the three leading academic libraries in Nigeria where TINLIB software was introduced in the 90s.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> After so many failed attempts to automate the library using a well robust integrated library management software, the library finally settled for KOHA Integrated library management software to automate its activities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The library collection is unique because it contains an Africana section that houses rare books such as Biafrana and Achebeana. It has a total holding of 350,000 book titles and about 5000 serials titles.<ref name="Eke-2014" />
Alumni and faculty
University of Nigeria Nsukka alumni are made up of several eminent Nigerians, including some past and present state governors, senators, ministers, and commissioners in Nigeria and a few other African countries. The University also boasts of some of the best academics, actors, artists and business people within and outside of Nigeria.Template:Further
Below are some approved affiliate institutions of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka by the National Universities Commission (NUC).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Assemblies of God Divinity School, Old Umuahia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
College Of Education, Ikere-Ekiti<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (Regular)
