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Brief History

Brief History of the Institute of Education and Professional Development.

When the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) was established in September 1983, the erstwhile College of Education was transformed. Faculties, Departments, and the Institute of Education were established, and academic programs were restructured to reflect the vision, mission, and philosophy of the new tertiary Institution. The Institute of Education was established as a semi-autonomous Unit in the Faculty of Education. It was charged with the responsibility of running a non-degree programme leading to the award of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).


On October 1, 1991, the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) was taken over by the then Federal Military Government of Nigeria. The name of the tertiary institution was changed to what is currently known and addressed as the University of Uyo. The new institution inherited all the Academic Programmes of the defunct University. Consequently, the Institute of Education continued with the responsibility of running the NCE programme for the students who were inherited from the erstwhile UNICROSS. In the 1993/94 academic session, the PGDE (Postgraduate Diploma in Education) programme was introduced and domiciled in the Institute of Education, with Late Professor Akpan J. A. Esen as the first Director. In the last decade, the Institute of Education has had the following as Directors or Acting Directors:

  • Prof. O. E. Achalu - (1996-2000)
  • Prof. (Mrs.) Comfort M. Ekpo - (2000-2006)
  • Dr. (Mrs.) Alice E. Udosen - (2006-2009)
  • Prof. Bassey E. Udoukpong - (2009-2012)
  • Dr. Ime E. Emah - (2013-2016)
  • Prof. Antiabong O. Ekong - (2016-2018)
  • Prof. P. I. Enang PLE - (2018-Date)

The PGDE programme took off with students’ enrolment of 10 belonging to different special area methods.
The name “Institute of Education” subsisted as an academic unit under the Faculty of Education till October 26, 2016, when the new name, Institute of Education and Professional Development, was approved by the Senate of the University in its 103rd meeting.