Detailed planning work for the University of Calabar began in December 1976, by an inter-disciplinary team of planners led by Project Group International Limited, in accordance with the guidelines evolved by the National Universities Commission’s Academic Planning Group. The Master Plan that was developed set out a framework of development of a new academic campus for 10,000 students, student housing for 10,000 students and as much staff housing as possible on a site within a few minutes walk of the existing campus. Other principal criteria evolved in the Master Plan included the development of a new academic campus on a 50 hectare site that is closely integrated with the existing campus on the west, the proposed Teaching Hospital on the north and the Great Kwa River on the east. The physical development of the University initially had to focus on the expansion of the facilities at the existing campus site in order to meet academic requirements. Several temporary buildings had to be constructed at the same time as work on the Main Campus was progressing. At present, several definitive halls of residence, a student centre, senior staff quarters and an elementary school and an International secondary school have been completed on the west bank campus. A vigorous programme of academic buildings on the Main Campus is now being pursued. Already the Teaching Hospital, Medical School, Natural Sciences, Law, Arts, Graduate School and Management Sciences have been completed, while that of Arts has reached an advanced stage of completion.