Chairman, CVCNU, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, who presided over
the signing of the MoU in Abuja , said that the Nigerian University System
(NUS) is desirous of partnership in the area of joint degree collaboration.
Edoumiekumo said collaboration with the UUKI would enhance
exchange programme that would boost Nigeria’s transnational education.
“NUS will greatly benefit from the partnership as the issue
of cost to study abroad will be taken care of”
“With this relationship, you can be in Nigeria and receive
the kind of quality education you will want to get when you travel to the U.K”
“As a country, we also want to have a joint degree
programmes with universities in the U.K. This will help boost the quality of
education in the country,‘‘ he said.
He assured that the NUS would implement the MoU to the
letter that would translate to development in every sector of the country’s
economy.
The CVCNU Chairman further disclosed that the general
assembly of the committee had planned to train 500 Bachelor of Science (B.Sc)
and Masters of Science (M.Sc) that would drive research for the country.
He identified the need to collaborate on training women and
giving them opportunities in the decision making process of the university
system.
“NUS is 74 years old and have structure with that of British
University System. CVCNU is seeking relationship with the Universities in U.K.
“Since inception of the NUS, we have been able to produce
760 Vice Chancellors out of which 37 are women”.
“And currently, we have 16 of them out of the 218
universities in the country comprising the Federal, States and Private
universities approved by the NUC,” he said.
He, therefore, welcomed the collaboration saying that it
would facilitate the exchange of staff and learning support.
The University U.K International Team Leader, Prof. Steve
Smith said the team was overwhelmed by the positive attitude of the Nigerian
government in embracing the collaboration.
“Nigeria is one of the five countries the U.K has asked to
focus on. We want to form a long lasting sustainable partnership.
“We want to look at a way we can work with universities in
Nigeria and partner on transnational education without having to pay to the
U.K.
“So, to be successful in the system, you have to be
internationally inclined in research which is what we will do in our exchange
programmes,” he said.
Similarly, the Director, UUKI, Mrs Vivienne Stern said that
the MoU would serve as a deeper structure and a means of exploring the
discussion on challenges of the Nigerian University System in the area of
teaching staff and training of students.
Stern added that the pandemic had pose a great challenge to
countries around the world saying that with the collaboration, there would be
transformation in the area of teaching and this would be achieved through a
systematic engagement with university leaders.
Also, the Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof.
Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, said that the university leaders were well prepared to
key into the initiative the collaboration would bring Nigeria’s High
Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Sarafa Ishola, who attended the meeting via
zoom, pledged the commitment of his office to nurture the relationship with all
that would be needed to achieve results on the MOU.
“I urge both sides to work hard to achieve a successful
collaboration , whatever is needed to nurture this relationship, the Nigerian
high commission in the UK will provide”