Nigeria, 4th Largest Client of UK Universities - David Woolf

Executive Secretary, NUC Professor Julius A. Okojie, with the 1st Secretary, Science, Innovation and Climate Change
British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. David Woolf.  

Nigeria is the 4 largest client of UK universities N st in the world, says the 1 Secretary, Science, Innovation and Climate Change, British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. David Woolf. He disclosed this on Monday Wednesday, 16 September, 2015, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius A. Okojie, to explore further areas of collaboration between UK universities and the Commission. Mr. David Woolf said that the visit was necessitated by the recent press conference by the Commission on online programmes, adding that the UK Government was willing to partner with the Commission to ensure that its online programmes were duly recognised by NUC and to market its Open and Distance learning mode to Nigerians as a veritable means of providing university education to other countries of the world without necessarily travelling to the UK. He stated that the efforts would enable the two countries to establish useful links, especially in Science Education, through the transfer and application of UK Science and research in the Nigeria University System (NUS). He stated that the UK Government was concerned about the quality of programmes run in both the online and regular universities. Responding, the Executive Secretary stated that although the Commission recognised the National Open University of Nigeria as a duly accredited institution in the country, he observed that the UK had some online, open and distance learning centres in countries other than the UK, which quality may not be guaranteed. He said that there was the need for both countries’ regulatory agencies to collaborate for effective mutual regulations. Professor Okojie stressed that the NUC was skeptical about allowing Nigerians to patronise online education because it had been abused in the past by prospective university proprietors who had been denied approval to establish private universities. With a good bilateral monitoring mechanism in place, he said the Commission could consider recognising online programmes at the Postgraduate level, for a start, provided that adequate information would be given with regards to semester system, student exchange system, course credits and learning outcomes, among others. For first degrees, the Executive Secretary observed that this was better obtained from a recognised brick-and-mortar university, in order to ensure a proper interface between student and lecturer. He, however, noted that the Nigerian government, through the NUC,had introduced a split programme, where a student could spend a semester in the home university and another in the partner institution. The Executive Secretary said that the NUC was concerned about three major issues: quality of content, physical site/location of the institution and mutual recognition of degrees. He re-echoed the NUC's willingness to partner with reputable institutions in providing online educations, on condition that requirements for establishing same were met. He further stressed the need for open dialogue on getting regulatory agencies to partner with the NUC as well as joint effort on granting programme approvals.

L-R:  Mr. Felix Olaniyan; Mr. Ayo Bankole, Engr. Kayode Odedina Prof. Julius A. Okojie, Mr. David

Woolf, Mr Chris Maiyaki and Mr Sunday Essien