The United Kingdom has reiterated its commitment to strengthening educational partnerships with Nigerian universities, as announced during the Going Global Conference in Abuja.
The three-day event, hosted by the British Council from November 26 to 28, 2024, brought together senior leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the future of higher education in Africa. Themed “Building Sustainable and Relevant Tertiary Education Institutions and Systems in Africa,” the conference aims to foster dialogue on enhancing educational systems across the continent.
In his opening address, Sir Steve Smith, the UK Government’s International Education Champion, unveiled three new collaborative projects set to commence in January 2025. These initiatives, funded through the British Council’s Transnational Education (TNE) Exploratory Grants Scheme, will focus on expanding institutional partnerships between the UK and Nigeria.
“Such partnerships not only transform local education systems and strengthen institutional capabilities but also foster cross-sector innovation by bridging academia and industry,” Smith noted.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, emphasized the need for Africa to leverage its growing youth population through improved higher education. “With over 60% of Africa’s population under 25 and a projected population of 2.5 billion by 2050, the continent must invest in more and better-quality education,” he said.
The conference featured prominent attendees, including Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, and other key education stakeholders.
Following the conference, Sir Steve Smith will lead a delegation of representatives from 11 UK universities to engage with Nigerian institutions, with plans to visit Lagos and explore sustainable, mutually beneficial TNE partnerships.
