NUC Gives Foreign Varsities Nod To Expand Access In Nigeria

National Universities Commission (NUC) said with the recently consummated guidelines and transnational education, foreign universities now have the freedom and flexibility to actively contribute to expanding access to university education in Nigeria.

The commission’s acting executive secretary, Mr Chris Maiyaki, stated this at the just-concluded British Council’s insight and engagement workshop in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme “Examining International Best Practices and Case Studies for TNE Implementation in the Nigerian University System,” Maiyaki said it has commenced the programme and it will be launched early next month.

“We expect an avalanche of applications because Nigeria is a destination for foreign universities.

“It’s important to note that all over the world, people are pursuing quality and stable university education, and we believe that with constraints such as foreign exchange, distance, and cultural barriers, among other factors, it’s high time foreign universities come to Nigeria to partner with our institutions and derive maximum benefits from operating within the Nigerian context.

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“This is the country that is the heartbeat of Africa, given the size of our population and its potential. It is expected that we are always vigilant as a regulatory agency to ensure the quality of the provisions and content we receive into the country.

“The quality of our university programmes must be strong and consistent with best practices, comparable to what is obtainable in their home countries,” he added.

Speaking with journalists, Mr Chikodi Onyemerala, the Director of Programme for the British Council in Nigeria, explained that the workshop focuses on how the Nigerian university system can collaborate with the UK university system to enhance quality, research collaboration, and various components of the university systems.

“Education competition is now global, no longer localized. It’s essential for university systems, including Nigeria’s, to align with global standards in curriculum, research output, and research processes to remain competitive on a global scale.”

Regarding the challenges, he noted that the NUC has developed guidelines for transnational education partnerships in Nigeria, set to be launched next month.

“While this marks a positive step in opening the Nigerian market to international collaboration, it does come with its challenges. The NUC has ensured there are guidelines in place to prevent a free-for-all approach.

“Currently, we see a lot of positivity, but challenges may arise in the future, particularly concerning payment and the movement of requirements into the Nigerian system and vice versa,” he said.