Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University

Other name	ATBU "Makera" A place where students are being taught and well trained
Motto	"Doctrina mater artium" (Education is the mother of all practical arts)
Type	Public
Established	1980
Chancellor	Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III (Ewi of Ado-Ekiti)
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Muhammad A. AbdulAzeez
Administrative staff	1000
Undergraduates	10,000
Postgraduates	200
Location	Bauchi , Bauchi State , Nigeria
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	Association of African Universities, National Universities Commission
Website	http://www.atbu.edu.ng/

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) is a federal university of technology located in Bauchi, north eastern part of Nigeria. The university is named after Nigeria's first and only prime minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The motto of the university is "Doctrina Mater Artium", which means "Education is the mother of the practical arts".^[1]

ATBU was established in 1980 as the Federal University of Technology, Bauchi. The institution's first students were admitted in October 1981 for pre-degree and remedial programmes while the degree courses of the School of Science and Science Education began in October 1982. On 1 October 1984, the university was merged with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, with a change of name to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa College, Ahmadu Bello University, Bauchi campus. The university regained its autonomous status in 1988 following a general demerger of such institutions. This was followed by a change of name to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

The academic pattern of the university was formulated in 1980 after consultation with subject experts from Nigeria, United Kingdom and United States of America. The curriculum adopted was applied in nature, as suited a technologically based institution, and this theme was maintained in all the units of the university.

The university offers degrees through seven schools: the School of Engineering, Science, Environmental Technology, Agriculture, Management Technology, the School of Technology Education and College of Medical Sciences. It offers entry level bachelor's degrees and both master's and doctorate degrees. Each school is headed by a dean/provost who reports directly to the vice chancellor. The vice chancellor is the executive head of the university. S/he is appointed by the Federal Ministry of Education on recommendation by the governing council of the university.