University Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, and Service

Vision Statement

AUN seeks to become a great center of learning and research for Nigeria and Africa and a catalyst for development in the entire world. In the words of its Founder, it sees its role as a “Development University.” Thus, the University will honor the traditional university roles of repository and transmitter of culture and knowledge and center for the creation of new knowledge. As a “Development University,” it will also focus on the practical roles a university must play in developing a great nation and continent.

Mission Statement

Mission AUNF’s mission is to raise funds for the American University of Nigeria to provide education for vulnerable Nigerian youth and humanitarian assistance to victims of Boko Haram violence. AUNF also supports other projects spearheaded by AUN and the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), an interfaith council of local community leaders created and led by AUN that is facilitating an environment for peace, promoting women’s empowerment and socioeconomic equality, engaging and preventing the radicalization of local youth and combatting violent, extremism in northern Nigeria.

Theme One: Increase the university’s financial base

A solid financial base provides stability and long-term stability to an institution.  It allows a university to weather economic downturns, adapt to changing education landscapes, and invest in longer-term strategic initiatives.  Improving the financial base at a university is crucial for its overall growth, academic excellence, student support, research capabilities, and long-term sustainability.  The AUN will reach financial stability by focusing on a robust enrollment plan coupled with building a comprehensive fundraising strategy.  The university will continue to be creative in its approaches to generating revenue.

• Enrollment
• Develop a comprehensive enrollment plan
• The plan will include admissions and a review of targets
• Plans for Retention and Persistence will be incorporated
• Launch an international student recruitment and retention program
• Establish a Center for Distance and Short-Term Learning
• Online education emphasis on full degree programs
• Launch short-term certificate programs
• Executive programs for leaders across the country and region
• Fundraising
• Create a giving system for American citizens
• Leverage connections with the American government
• U.S.-based grants and appropriation
• Establish and foster relationships with Nigerian businesses in the region and across the country
• Review and create a comprehensive understanding of Foundations in Nigeria and their giving history for potential synergy
• Prioritize and assist faculty with grant applications
• Explore and evaluate creative opportunities for increasing revenue
• Increase earned income from grants and contracts through the Atiku Institute for Development

Theme Two: Academic Entrepreneurship and Innovation

An AUN education will reflect our commitment to providing a personalized university education that is rigorous, practical, and valuable for all our students. As a liberal arts university, our academic programs shall embody innovative concepts through which we prepare future leaders capable of addressing national and global challenges with integrity and professionalism.   As an institution prepared to meet the needs of the region, academic programs will be relevant to the economy and creative in approaches.  The AUN will shine as the preeminent university in the country and region for the implementation of American general education and continuous assessment grading practices.

• Launch programs leading to the establishment of Medical School
• Review graduate programs for enhancement and expansion
• Comprehensive review of general education program/ liberal studies courses
• All-inclusive review of the market for establishing new academic programs to meet the demands
• Advanced training in online teaching pedagogy for faculty
• Support and promote scholarship and research
• Develop and evolve the New Foundation School to assist with pre-college curriculum for students in academic need as well as English as a Second Language courses for primarily international students.
• Establish a center for continuing education under AID to focus on short courses, including the UNFPA GBViE, USAID IMMAP, M&E training, and the certificate course with Action AID on humanitarian/development nexus.

Theme Three: Invest in Human Resources

Investing in faculty/ staff demonstrates the value and importance placed on their contributions, which boosts morale and overall job satisfaction.  When faculty/ staff feel valued and supported, they are more likely to go above and beyond to support their students and contribute to the university’s overall success.  By recognizing and supporting the value of team members, universities can create an environment conducive to learning, growth, and success.  The AUN will focus on professional development, faculty/ staff recognition programs, and salaries.

• Implement salary scales and position structures.
• Improving campus communication across the entire university
• Cost of living adjustments built into annual budgets
• Professional development for faculty and staff
• Series of lectures and trainings for faculty/ staff on American-style teaching pedagogy
• Lectures and training on personal growth, self-care, and professional competency
• Review of the onboarding process for employees
• Implementation of award and recognition programs
• Performance Management Appraisal Program (PMAP) for all staff
• Refine the faculty evaluation program with opportunities for improvement

Theme Four: Capital and Infrastructure Improvements

Investing in capital and infrastructure plays a vital role in fostering a sense of community and belonging.  Well-designed and accessible spaces, such as student centers, recreational facilities, residence halls, and communal areas, encourage social interaction, collaboration, and extracurricular activities.  These types of spaces are essential for creating a vibrant campus life and building a strong sense of community among students, faculty, and staff.  The university will also focus on obtaining energy independence and improving the technology across the campus.

• Modernize campus facilities with efforts focused on deferred maintenance
• Improve technology infrastructure
• Develop an all-inclusive energy plan for the AUN campus
• Green initiatives to be explored
• Explore athletic enhancements for the campus to increase opportunities for student engagement
• Launching of sports academies for outreach
• Additional facilities to be built based on capacity and growth needs
• New residence hall/ hostel
• Academic teaching building
• Student Center Complex
• School for International Studies

Theme Five: Community Engagement, Development, and Improved Brand Awareness

Helping develop community engagement is important to a university because it fulfills its social responsibility, facilitates knowledge transfer and collaborations, enhances students learning and development, influences public perception and reputation and provides research and applied learning opportunities.  The American University of Nigeria’s development arm comes through the Atiku Institute for Development, and the area will be strengthened.  Improving university brand awareness is important for attracting top students and faculty, building alumni loyalty, fostering partnerships and collaborations, increasing funding opportunities, and differentiating from competitors.  Overall, the AUN will focus on being an instrumental player in the country, region, and continent.

• Review of marketing strategies for expansion
• Social media emphasis to reach young people
• Increased funding annually for new markets and expanding in Nigeria and beyond the Northeastern Zone
• Further, Grow and Improve the Atiku Institute for Development
• Programs aimed at assisting in Internally Displaced People camps
• Empowerment of marginalized groups in the Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe Zone of Nigeria
• Further strong relationships with international government organizations (i.e. USAID, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, etc.) as well as local non-government organizations for potential collaboration and funding
• Reestablish the Adamawa Peace Initiative Program
• Continue to be creative and foster a security program that provides a safe campus conducive to education.
• Student engagement program enhancement
• Collect data on student community service hours
• Student leadership program implementation
• Robust study abroad programs for faculty and students
• Involve the university in world-ranking programs by participating and providing data to organizations
• Work closely with external stakeholders in local and traditional governments for potential collaboration and support of the region
• Develop short certificate courses in development program areas, including Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Gender Based Violence (GBV), etc.

Download the Strategic Plan PDF