Nigeria Pledges Commitment to Transnational Education – NUC Chief Speaks

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, has reiterated Nigeria's dedication to advancing Transnational Education. This initiative seeks to boost knowledge sharing, foster research collaborations, and improve faculty training, all with the aim of decreasing the nation's dependence on overseas educational institutions.

When Ribadu met with a delegation from the British Council who came for a courtesy visit at his office, he made these remarks. The delegation included the Director of the Global Network and the Nigerian representative of the British Council.

Remember that during the biannual Going Global conference, which took place in the UK within the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, between Monday, November 20th, and Wednesday, November 23rd, 2023, Nigeria formally introduced the completed NUC Guidelines on Transnational Education. This launch was conducted by the Nigerian Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, alongside his British equivalent, Secretary of State for Education, Ms Gillian Keegan.

The former minister of Education underscored the importance of TNE, saying it remained a very key and veritable tool for expanding access and broadening equity in Higher Education, given the huge gap between supply and demand.

He observed that Nigerians formed one of the largest groups among immigrants who were eager for educational opportunities. He reasoned that the introduction of these updated TNE guidelines provided an official structure for managing and ensuring the standards and provision of transnational education. This marked a shift from the previously established individual partnerships that had long been in place between Nigerian and British universities.

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In keeping with this sentiment, the head of NUC welcomed the British Council delegation and conveyed his pleasure regarding the robust cooperation between the NUC and the British Council, particularly in the realm of Transnational Education (TNE).

He stated that the TNE guidelines were functional and confirmed to the British Council that these guidelines would be properly enforced across all models.

The Executive Secretary mentioned that he knew UK universities were seeking participation in the TNE. He also stated that his interest lay not just in gaining access but in ensuring the high quality of educational provision.

He asked the British Council to help with enhancing the capabilities of both employees and attendees involved in Transnational Education (TNE). He mentioned that the National Universities Commission (NUC) is making significant efforts to sustain equilibrium within the Nigerian university framework by striving for an issue-free educational environment.

He informed the delegation that he welcomes any proposals aimed at elevating the education sector to an impressive standard.

The head of the delegation praised the Executive Secretary for his recent appointment and extended best wishes for his upcoming role. He also conveyed the British Council’s eagerness to keep working together with the NUC in the field of education, emphasizing how crucial this partnership is for strengthening relations between their nations for the sake of coming generations.

He further expressed his gratitude to Mr. Chris Mayaiki, who, according to him, provided great support during his tenure as Acting Executive Secretary, thereby aiding the advancement of the relationship to new levels.

He notified the Executive Secretary about the council's desire to strengthen relationships between Nigerian and British universities.

He highlighted that their recent partnership for the Going Global Conference proved highly successful because the British Council appreciated the significant impact it had on engaging various key figures such as ministers, high-ranking government officials, vice-chancellors, and leading scholars from around the world. This collaborative effort aimed at uniting these influential individuals to promote higher education globally.

He stated that the British Council views Transnational Education (TNE) in Nigeria as an essential means of providing quality higher education to young individuals seeking such opportunities, noting that the guidelines developed by Nigeria are sophisticated and thorough.

He mentioned that several British universities had shown interest in expanding their presence in Nigeria and expressed a desire to identify key focus areas so that UK institutions could contribute to the TNE initiative.

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