By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Kaduna State Branch, has called on the Federal University of Applied Sciences (FUASK), Kachia, to establish a Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics to strengthen the institution’s academic offerings and contribute to Nigeria’s infrastructure and technological development.
The appeal was made on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the Executive Council of the NIS Kaduna Branch to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor William Barnabas Qurix.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Chairman of NIS Kaduna Branch, Surveyor Maikano Samson, MNIS, congratulated the university’s management on its rapid growth and recent recognition by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
He said Surveying and Geoinformatics remain critical disciplines that underpin physical and national development, noting that major engineering and infrastructure projects depend on accurate survey data.
According to him, advancements in geospatial technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), drone mapping, and spatial data analytics, have made the establishment of the programme both timely and necessary.
Samson explained that the proposed department would complement existing programmes such as Civil Engineering, Architecture, Agriculture, Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Science, Geology, and Computer Science.
He also pledged the institution’s support towards the successful establishment of the programme through curriculum development, resource verification, mentorship, industrial training, joint research, and professional guidance.
The NIS chairman identified additional areas of collaboration to include community mapping, smart agriculture, land administration, environmental monitoring, disaster risk management, and climate change studies.
He further urged the university to engage registered surveyors in all land-related and infrastructure projects on campus and proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration between both institutions.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor William Barnabas Qurix, described the visit as a demonstration of goodwill and welcomed the proposed partnership.
“As a University of Applied Sciences, Surveying and Geoinformatics is a core area within our academic mandate. We are pleased by the institution’s interest in partnering with us, and our doors remain open to meaningful collaboration,” he said.
Qurix noted that professional surveyors would play a vital role in the university’s ongoing development, particularly in planning and executing projects across its expansive land, including faculty buildings, student hostels, and road infrastructure.
He also assured the delegation that the proposal to establish a Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics would receive due consideration through the university’s appropriate academic and administrative processes.
Both the university management and the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors expressed optimism that the engagement would lay the foundation for a long-term partnership aimed at advancing education, research, and sustainable national development.
