Covenant University’s vision of being one of the top 10 universities in the world by the year 2022 has received a big boost, with the University ranked Number One (1) globally in some research endeavors and rated among the top 10 in others, based on the latest computations by Elsevier SciVal, the world acclaimed ready-to-use solution that offers easy access to the research performance of 8,500 research institutions and 220 countries worldwide.

Unfolding details of the achievement at a meeting between the Chancellor and the University Management, Deans of Colleges, Directors and Heads of Departments, held on Friday, April 28, 2017, the Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Professor AAA. Atayero, said that through the financial support of the Board of Regents, the University had signed up with Elsevier SciVal, an initiative that has given the University the opportunity to monitor its achievements in terms of research, publications and citations.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that Covenant University was able to identify its areas of Distinctive Competencies and areas of Emerging Competencies courtesy of the SciVal software, which talks about competencies of universities in research endeavors.

Over 13 million publications for the period 2011-2015 were extracted from the Scopus database, to form 168,092 clusters. SciVal subsequently identified 53 publication clusters in which Covenant University has a significant presence. The 53 publication clusters were grouped into 16 Competencies for Covenant University.

SciVal classified 4 of the 16 Competencies as Distinctive Competencies of Covenant University because they are significantly large fields, and the institution is leading these fields in terms of publications, highly cited publications, and/or innovation.

Indeed, Covenant University, looking at the data from 2011 to 2015 as calculated by Elsevier, was rated World Number One (1) in research endeavors such as (Wind Power, Wind and Turbine) and (Corrosion, Corrosion Inhibitors, Carbon Steel). World Number Two (2) in (Trade, Remittance, Effect) and (Housing; Residential Satisfaction, Satisfaction).

These achievements, said the Vice-Chancellor, had enabled the University to identify 16 areas of competence to invest in, research wise, adding that it was time to synergize to go forward with strong thrust.

In his remarks, the Chancellor and Chairman Board of Regents, Covenant University, Dr. David O. Oyedepo, said that the University must celebrate God as “this is too much for our age as a University”.

“Celebration of Vision 10:2022 has already started with the results in the ranking. We are closer than ever imagined to the Vision,” he added.

While observing that many prominent universities were not in the top bracket of the ratings, the Chancellor said that Covenant University had jumped levels and attributed it to the engagement of the system.

He urged the Management of the University and faculty to keep engaging as the Prophetic word was already working. “I spoke a prophetic word: God said this is a new generation Harvard for waves of innovation and creativity”.

And while congratulating the Management and the faculty on the achievement, he also implored them not to rest on their oars.