THE Faculty of Dentistry of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has been ranked top in the latest rating of the Global Academic Ranking of World Universities (GRAS).
In the 2022 GRAS ranking released recently, in Nigeria, the Faculty of Dentistry, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) emerged in the 201-300 groups; Veterinary Sciences of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta emerged in the 201-300 groups; while in Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka emerged in the 401-500 groups.
An elated Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, Professor Morenike Ukpong said: “The major driver of this noble achievement is the high-quality collaborative research outputs from the Faculty. I think collectively, we know that the faculty is strong and we can do a lot more together.
“It is encouraging to know that the little thing we do add up. We will only choose to do more by understanding this. This global achievement is a result of an unconscious process, if we do things a lot more consciously; we can go far.
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“I look forward to the faculty being able to do many landmark things of international importance and foremost Dental Research Grant recipient in Africa. As a collective, we are working to build a Dental Entrepreneurship Centre at a cost of N180 million. It will be the First Dental Entrepreneurship Centre in the country.
“There is an ongoing Biomaterial Science Research ongoing in the faculty, which can drive changes in Dental Biomaterial Research in the country. We have all it takes to be in this best position. We just need to consciously drive the process.”
A past dean of the faculty, Professor John Owotade described the feat as a combination of international visibility through academic output and the excellence displayed in teaching, research and community service.
Also, an excited Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and past Dean, Professor Olawunmi Fatusi, hinged the feat on hardwork and commitment in the past despite being the smallest faculty in the university.
Fatusi, OAU’s first female Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, added, “I hope that the faculty will continue to keep a close link between research and education, employing leading dentists and scientists to teach the latest techniques, diagnostics and treatments.”
Head of Department, Department of Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, OAU, Dr Olufemi Oyetola, described it as stimulating information and restorer of hope, adding “It only restores our hope and reassure us again that when we put efforts on the ground and when we have good leaders that are focused as we have our indefatigable dean, that good thing can still happen again.”
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