Nigerian ministers, UK university VC, others to speak at UNILAG conference

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, together with his counterpart at the Ministry of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK), Iain Gillespie, a professor, are all expected on Monday to grace the opening ceremony of the international week at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka.

The conference, with the theme; “Breaking the Borders of Partnership,” will also be attended by the Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, and his counterpart at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Sonny Echono, among other key stakeholders.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director, International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Ismail Ibraheem, a professor, noted that the event is aimed at galvanising support for the institution’s internationalisation drive and “breaking partnership barriers.”

According to Ibraheem, many Nigerian tertiary institutions encounter some avoidable challenges in their efforts to collaborate with foreign institutions through exchange programmes and research support.

He listed some of these challenges to include passport and visa issuing processes, and procurement of work permits, among others.

“So the peculiar issues of visa and passport processes, and work permits for foreign scholars would be addressed by the interior minister who supervises Nigeria’s Immigration Service,” Ibraheem said.

He further noted that the education minister, Mamman, “who will be supported by heads of NUC, TETFUND, among others, will lead discussions on the policy directions of the new administration to assure the foreign institutions of the government’s commitment.”

The conference which was initiated three years ago during the tenure of the university’s immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, will be hosted by the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola.

He said the vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee, Gillespie, will be the keynote speaker and will be assisted by the Academic Lead for Internationalisation at the University of Warwick, Jo Angouri, also a professor, and the President of the 48-member SG group of universities, Arnim Heinemann.

“Heinemann also doubles as the Executive Director, Internationalisation at the Bayreuth University, Germany,” the statement added.

The University of Lagos International Week is an annual academic and policy-driven international convening which provides a forum for cross-fertilisation of ideas between industry and academia.

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.

Ibraheem said: “It is a forum 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.

“It also provides a platform to discuss strategies that could assist Nigeria in benefiting from the opportunities of transnational education.”

He said other expected participants at the forum include members of the diplomatic community, African education policymakers, representatives of Nigerian and international education institutions, leading academicians, members of industry and development partners as well as students.

“Universities from the Cross Border Partnerships, as well as many African countries will join the University of Lagos and other invited Nigerian universities to discuss challenges and opportunities of transnational education,” the statement added.

(PT)