I warmly welcome you on behalf of the Board of the Postgraduate College to the premier University in Nigeria. Let me use this medium to heartily congratulate you on your successful admission to the University of Ibadan, which is the cynosure of many graduate students in Nigeria. The Postgraduate College, formerly known as Postgraduate School, admits an average of 6,000 out of about 15,000 applicants every year. The College has about 15,000 students and graduates an average of 400 Ph.D. students every year. It is a home-away-from-home citadel of higher education for graduates of various universities in Nigeria and abroad. The academic community you are entering is truly collegial and friendly. A community of scholars, the University is defined by people who care deeply about one another and the world in which they live and work. The community also takes great pride in the academic vision and mission of the institution. By inspiring its students to engage singly and collaboratively in impactful and transformative research, scholars of the University of Ibadan are having a great influence on society.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the experience in the University is the opportunity to interact with academic staff. Besides their passion for teaching, the faculties are excited about scholarship and research, and they bring that excitement into the classroom. You are expected to engage them just as they too will challenge you in a symbiotic academic relationship. As mature students, you have become accustomed to university life already. However, see beyond this familiarity; see yourself as having a fresh opportunity to embark on a new academic voyage that is very distinct. Postgraduate education is a step towards higher academic attainments. The new world, borderless and highly competitive, awaits you. New ideas and technologies are created every day, and yesterday's technology becomes obsolete today. It is not just science and technology that are fast-paced; society itself is also changing very quickly. As the flagship of postgraduate education in Nigeria, the Postgraduate College of the University of Ibadan is indeed a place of high standards; therefore you have made the right choice. The Management of the Postgraduate College and the rest of our committed staff are prepared to serve you and make your stay in the University very fulfilling. I encourage you to visit the website of the College regularly and take advantage of the existing scholarship schemes we offer our students. To our international students, the experience in a new country could be challenging, but, with the right guidance, it could be full of opportunities and excitement. The University has a strong Office of the International Programmes which will assist you to adjust to life and styles on campus.

Once again, I welcome you to the University of Ibadan, and we hope this encounter would be a life-long relationship. Thank you.

Professor A. S. O. Ogunjuyigbe