99,985 Nigerian students enrolled in London universities within 5 years, says Minister

The Nigerian Government has disclosed that its citizens who have relocated to study in universities in the United Kingdom for various programmes between 2017 and 2022 have risen to total of 99,985, adding that it (government) is determined to support genuine partnership drives among Nigeria’s academic institutions and their foreign counterparts.

Penpushing reports that Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the international week conference of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos State

The Minister, who quoted data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), however, noted that the exodus cannot be dismissed as completely antithetical to Nigeria’s development, adding that what must be done to make the drift reciprocal would be to fix the nation’s education system and address the security situation to also attract foreign students and staff for cross-border relationships and collaborations.

Penpushing further reports that Tunji-Oso explained that the relocation of the students should not be linked to ‘Japa’ syndrome, adding that a larger chunk of these students has left with the purest of intent, to cross our border, seek further knowledge for self-advancement

‘While many may contend that majority of these students have simply ‘JAPA’ for other reasons, we cannot also deny the fact that a larger chunk of these students has left with the purest of intent, to cross our border, seek further knowledge for self-advancement, which in the long run will result to national pride’.

“Every year, over 100 Nigerian students benefit from the scholarship for postgraduate and PhD degrees, I speak from students personally, we have hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs, leaving our shores to break new grounds across our lands, and on our part, we must ensure that we play our part in the actualisation of their dreams. They carry our identity, one which not only aids their pursuit but also defines them.”

Penpushing also reports that the National Universities Commission (NUC) affirmed that Nigeria now has 270 universities across including those owned by the federal and state governments, and private bodies such as religious institutions and individuals.

The Acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Mayaki, gave this figure at the International Week programme, noting that the theme of the conference: “Breaking the Borders of Partnership” is consistent with one of the commission’s cardinal goals which is to foster partnerships between the Nigerian university system, international development partners, and the private sector

Penpushing reports that Mayaki emphasized that this is one of the issues that is of prime importance in the global higher education arena, in which the National Universities Commission (NUC) is currently giving its utmost attention.

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Prof Sonny Echono, in his remarks noted that Nigeria as a country needs to embrace internationalisation to deepen the current efforts, partnerships and collaborations.

Penpushing further reports that Echono explained that Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), is building partnerships at home and abroad and has about 11 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) that have been executed.

The Executive Secretary stated that recently in Brazil, Nigeria signed an MoU with a consortium of 4,044 Brazilian universities, and also had partnerships with 29 French universities, which has now been extended to other countries including the United Kingdom, United States of America, India, Malaysia, China, and so on.

“While we pursue the novel ideals of improving our ranking, we should also ensure that you can attract faculty of international blend to our universities in Nigeria. We should also increasingly admit foreign students into our faculties’, he added.

“But to accomplish this, we need to guarantee minimum disruptions to the academic calendar, We need to provide state-of-the-art facilities that will be comparable to what they have abroad ranging from our facilities, hostels, facilities for teaching and learning in our research.”

Penpushing also reports that Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) explained that with its capacity to attract partnerships, UNILAG will be one of TETFUND’s beneficiaries of major programmes that will be introduced in 2024.

The Vice-Chancellor of Universisty of Lagos(UNILAG) Prof  Folasade Ogunsola, in her remarks said the university has about 200 direct and active international collaborations and that it is part of several international and regional networks enabling linkages with African and other universities.

‘The universities include the African Multiple Cluster of Excellence (University of Bayreuth-led), African Engineering and Technology Focused Universities (AFRITEC), and African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA/GUILD) with a network of 16 universities.

Penpushing reports that Mrs Ogunsola pointed out that the university in the last couple of years, has seen an increase in the number of bilateral and multilateral arrangements with other international educational institutions especially in the United Kingdom and Africa.

‘Through strategic partnerships, we have explored collaboration which encapsulates experience sharing around higher education management structure, co-creation of academic programmes and curriculum development,” she noted.

Penpushing further reports that , the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, United Kingdom ,Iain Gillespie who was the keynote speaker emphasized that the core purpose of universities is enhanced through partnership.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee noted that to unlock the potential of higher education with partnerships, institutions, industry and policymakers across the globe must work together to address common challenges.

Penpushing also reports that Gillespie said partnerships can bring together expertise and capacity and that they require genuine alignment of goals and equitable relationships to deliver meaningful impact, and equally shared that when the University of Dundee shifted focus from financial sustainability to academic excellence, it led to a surplus and investment in the institution

The Director, International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos(UNILAG), Ismail Ibraheem, said the University of Lagos(UNILAG) International Week is an annual academic and policy-driven international convening which provides a forum for cross-fertilisation of ideas between industry and academia.

Penpushing reports that In its third edition, the weeklong programme provides a forum where issues of cross-border relationships, research collaborations, and foreign relations are discussed to enhance the quality of university education in the country.

The Director explained that the forum is for institutions from the global North and South as well as within the global South to share thoughts on areas of strengths and weaknesses for possible important collaborations, and also provides a platform to discuss strategies that could assist Nigeria in benefiting from the opportunities of transnational education.

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