The Vice-Chancellor of Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, Professor Shedrack Gaya Best, has declared that the institution has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last two years, repositioning itself as an emerging global brand in higher education.
Professor Best made this known during the Pre-Convocation Press Conference held at the Vice-Chancellor’s Boardroom on Thursday, ahead of the university’s 8th and 9th Combined Convocation ceremony coming up on the 14th February, 2026.
Welcoming members of the press, the Vice-Chancellor commended journalists for touring the university’s facilities and witnessing firsthand what he described as a “physical and academic leap” achieved under the current administration.
“In the heart of the picturesque hills of Bokkos, a new dawn has indeed broken,” he said, noting that the PLASU he inherited two years ago is “vastly different” from the institution it is today.
According to him, the transformation began with what he termed the university’s “New Signature,” symbolizing a rebranding effort that reflects PLASU’s renewed vision, global outlook, and commitment to academic excellence.
Professor Best attributed much of the progress to the strong support of the Executive Governor of Plateau State and Visitor to the University, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang. He said the Governor’s “Time Is Now” philosophy instilled urgency and decisive action in repositioning the institution as a world-class citadel of learning.
Under the current leadership, the university has recorded significant academic expansion, including the introduction of a College of Medicine and Surgery, as well as a Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The Vice-Chancellor described the development as a strategic step toward addressing healthcare gaps in Plateau State and across Nigeria.
He said beyond medical sciences, PLASU has also intensified innovation in agriculture.
According to the VC, the university now operates a thriving poultry farm supplying eggs to the campus community, alongside pedigree cow breeding and Alfalfa farm projects aimed at promoting sustainable agribusiness.
Professor Best emphasized that the institution is focused not only on graduating students but on producing “Agripreneurs.”
On academic quality assurance, he disclosed that 16 courses recently underwent accreditation visits by the National Universities Commission (NUC), reaffirming the university’s commitment to maintaining national and international standards.
He added that inline with global communication trends, the institution has upgraded its Department of Mass Communication to a full Faculty of Communication and Media Studies.
“As part of this development, the university established PLASU 103.3 FM, a campus radio station expected to serve both the university and the wider Bokkos community while providing students with practical broadcasting experience.”
The combined convocation ceremony, scheduled for February 14, 2026, has been described as a “Harvest of Scholars.” Professor Best revealed that the university now boasts a student population of over 13,000 drawn from across Nigeria.
Reflecting on the institution’s journey, the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged past challenges but affirmed that PLASU now stands resilient and future-focused.
“As the Visitor often reminds us, the future is not something we wait for, the future is here and now,” he said.
He concluded by reiterating that PLASU has “shed its old image and embraced a new identity,” declaring that the university’s horizon is limitless.
A total of 2,577 Students comprises of 2,485 undergraduates and 92 postgraduates will be celebrated that day, out of which 22 will graduate with a first class honours.
Earlier before the press conference, the journalists were taken round some major developmental projects on a tour to see for themselves some of the remarkable achievements. Some of the places visited by the team of Journalists were the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Agriculture, Library, the Campus Radio station as while as the School Clinic.
