Sunday Bassey Essien graduated from the University of Calabar with a B.Sc. in Political Science in 1989 and later obtained a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Jos in 2010.

He joined the services of the NUC in 1991 as Personnel Officer II, in the then Department of Personnel Management. By dint of hard work, he was promoted to the rank of Personnel Officer I which he occupied between January 1996 – January 1998.

He became Deputy Director, in 2014 in the then Department of Mangement Support Services. He was subsequently posted to the Directorate of Open Distance and eLearning as the head of the Trans National Education Division. A position he held until his appointment as Director on the 25th of March 2021.

• Advocate for and coordinate scholarship opportunities, and the establishment of Counselling/ Human Development Centre;
• Coordinate and facilitate the emergence of Entrepreneurship Study Centres to promote the entrenchment of a culture of entrepreneurship amongst University Students;
• Develop and promote regulatory framework for best practices that will engender student satisfaction and the best possible students experience through quality Student Support Services and Welfare Services in the Nigerian University System;
• Any other intervention to encourage the acquisition of leadership skills, national values and culture, sportsmanship, the eradication of anti-social behavior, and the promotion of peaceful coexistence;
• Supervise the organization of Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) competition as well as periodic collegial games to ensure maximum use of sporting facilities;
• Facilitate and ensure the provision of sporting facilities and the practice of sports as contribution to the socio-cultural and economic regeneration of university communities;
• Facilitate the development and integration of Gender Education in the Nigerian University System and monitor the implementation of Government policies on gender and other related issues in Nigerian Universities; and
• Facilitate and ensure the evolution of advocacy programmes on gender equity in Nigerian in line with best practices

The Division has the following Sections:

• Career Infrastructure and Counseling Services,
• Leadership Development.

FUNCTIONS OF THE DIVISION:

• Advocate for and coordinate scholarship opportunities, and the establishment of Counselling/ Human Development Centre;
• Encouraging universities to develop mechanisms that will help students acquire requisite Leadership skills; and
• Ensure in Collaboration with other agencies, that universities incorporate and transmit to students, national values and orientation

This Division has the following sections:

• Campus Safety Unit
• Communications Services Unit
• Gender Issues Unit.

FUNCTIONS OF THE DIVISION:

• Develop policies and guidelines that will ensure adequate provision of student support facilities and welfare services on university campuses;
• Supervise and monitor the implementation of strategies aimed at eradicating anti-social behavior, and the promotion of peaceful co-existence;
• Supervise the organization of Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) competition as well as periodic collegial games to ensure maximum use of sporting facilities;
• Facilitate and ensure the provision of sporting facilities and the practice of sports as contribution to the socio-cultural and economic regeneration of university communities;
• Facilitate the development and integration of Gender Education in the Nigerian University System and monitor the implementation of Government policies on gender and other related issues in Nigerian Universities; and
• Facilitate and ensure the evolution of advocacy programmes on gender equity in Nigerian in line with best practices