The twenty-third Annual International Conference and General Meeting (AGM) of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), Nigeria commences tomorrow, Tuesday 24th January, 2023 at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. The conference tagged: ACCE-UNIZIK 2023 is holding at the ASUU Secretariat of UNIZIK, Awka with the theme: “Communicating Science, Technology, and Innovation in Times of Economic Distress, Terror and Pandemic”.
Historically, ACCE is the biggest association and forum for media professionals, educators in journalism, cultural studies and associated disciplines in Africa, having established branches in many countries on the continent, with Nairobi, Kenya as its headquarters. Founded in 1974 by a group of African Communication experts; ACCE is a non-profit and non-governmental organization concerned with advancing national development through communication.
Consequently, ACCE brings together more than one thousand academics, researchers, and media practitioners from more than one hundred institutions all over the world to discuss issues of international concerns on communication education and training; information technology; traditional communication resources; communication and environment; culture, gender; democracy; security; health; science; technology; innovation; economy; and other issues that bedevil humanity. This it achieves through annual seminars, workshops, and conferences held across Africa and in various states for its country chapters, including Nigeria.
Beyond that, ACCE in line with its founding objectives has provided advisory services and consultancy services to many African governments, institutions, and organizations on national communication policies and strategies especially on using communication for development purposes as well as in the development of communication and media studies curriculum among other roles.
Membership of ACCE is thus open to all communication and media scholars and academics in higher institutions of learning, while media practitioners desirous of promoting the course of communication education in Africa are also qualified to join, as the association brings all stakeholders in the media industry together. Kudos to Anambra Broadcasting Service, “heartbeat of the East”, the flagship broadcast station in South East Nigeria has set the pace for media institutions by being the first to register as member and to partner and participate in the conference.
Thus, for this 23rd edition of the International Conference and AGM of ACCE which also features the election of new officers under the leadership of Prof. Nnamdi Ekeanyanwu as its National President, the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka won the hosting right in 2021 under Prof. Chinwe Uzochukwu as the then Head of Department. The conference was to hold in October, 2022 as “ACCE-UNIZIK 2022” but for eight months strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. Hence, the conference was moved forward to January 2023, hence, the new tag: ACCE-UNIZIK 2023. The present Head of Department of Mass Communication Associate Professor Cornelius Ukwueze, having inherited this huge project, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a smooth conference.
According to the local organizing committee, the event will commence with the arrival of the conferees on Tuesday 24th January, 2023 for a pre-conference research workshop. The opening ceremony holds on Wednesday 25th January, 2023 by 10am with the eminent communication scholar, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, Deputy-Vice Chancellor, Academic, Paul University, Awka as the Chairman; while a Health and Science Reporting Expert, Dr. Herbert Batta of the University of Uyo will present the Lead Paper. Top Science and Nuclear Agencies in Nigeria will facilitate special sessions. The syndicate sessions continue on Thursday 26th January 2023 to be capped with the AGM and election of new officers to pilot the affairs of the association in the next three years. The conferees will depart Awka on Friday 27th January, 2023.
All members and intending members are expected to attend en masse with their well-researched papers for presentation. The Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Okechukwu Esimone, FAS, and the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Uche Collins Nwogwugwu heartily welcome all to UNIZIK while appreciating UNICEF, and Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, among other partners for their support.
Written by ASSOCIATE PROF. CORNELIUS UKWUEZE
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