Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Universiti Teknologi MARA Pulau Pinang Branch, Malaysia, regarding research and other academic developments.
The main goal of the MoU is to enhance collaboration, research publications, institutional exchanges and the development of teaching and learning between the two universities.
ATBU’s director of public relations, Zailani Bappa, said the MoU was signed virtually after a virtual ceremony organised by the office of International Affairs at UTM Pulau Pinang Branch to discuss areas of collaboration, cooperation, research, and academic development.
Zailani in a statement yesterday, said the MoU was signed by Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba and Professor Sani Usman Kunya on behalf of ATBU while Professor Dato Ir and Dr Haji Ahmad Rashidy Razali signed on behalf of the Malaysian University.
He said, “The MoU is expected to foster co-operation in key academic areas including joint research initiatives, co-authored publications and student and faculty exchanges. It is also expected to help deepen mutual understanding and cultural practices of both institutions.”
The virtual ceremony was attended by key academics including Dr Soffia Noor, Associate Professor, Dr Noor Mat Salish, Associate Professor Nur Suhadar, Professor Muhammad Ahmad Abdulazeez and Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba.
Others include Professor SD Abdul, Hajiya Aisha Idris, Professor Fatima Sawa, Professor Istifanus Chindo Yarkasuwa, Professor Nurudeen Usman and Dr Abdullahi Nafi’u Zadawa.
In another development, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and two Canadian Organisations, PRI Global Ventures and International Trade Facilitation Association, Canada have signed memorandum of understanding and Memorandum of Action on Internationalisation and Agribusiness ventures respectively.
The agreements were signed at the Council Chamber of the University with the Vice chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba, signing on behalf of the University while the Director, Strategy and leadership, PRI Global Ventures and Ambassador to the International Trade Facilitation Association Canada, Prince Collins E. Nwosu, signing on behalf of both international Trade Facilitation Association and PRI Global Ventures Limited Canada.
Vice-chancellor Prof Ibrahim Hassan Garba stated that the University plans to cultivate more than 500 hectares of land at the Gubi Campus in the next rainy season as part of its move to address students’ entrepreneurship and sustainability.
He said that to ensure continuity, the University would develop a sustainability policy plan that would aggressively address the financial challenge faced by the university in such a way that government allocation would become the secondary source of funding to the University, adding that the University has to learn to reduce dependency on government funding.
In his brief address earlier, the director, Strategy and Leadership PRI Global Ventures Limited and Trade, Ambassador to the International Trade Facilitation Association Canada, Prince Collins E Nwosu, said they were at the University to sign the legal framework for the MoU and MoA.
He assured the university management that the two organisations were ready to fulfill their own part of the signed agreement.
