Leading academics from Nigeria have visited the University of Wolverhampton to discuss ways of developing entrepreneurship in the country’s higher education sector.

Seventeen senior academics from various Nigerian institutions took part in executive training and also looked at ways they could work together with the University.

The aim was to enable the visitors to contribute to the development of further education in their own country by incorporating entrepreneurship education into the curriculum.

The delegation, which included Provosts, Rectors, Bursars and Directors of Institutes from Nigeria, also met with the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer.

Professor Layer said: “Forging international partnerships are particularly relevant to the University’s strategic direction, and we believe the University can work together with the various institutions in Nigeria to create more graduate jobs and to enrich the students’ experience.”

Spokesman for the delegation, Professor Murtala Mala Sagagi, Director of the Centre for African Entrepreneurship Research and Training, Bayero University Kano, said: “Entrepreneurship education is significant in helping to transform Nigerian society, particularly against the backdrop of the Nigerian government’s recent directive to all higher institutions to upskill their staff and offer degrees in the area of entrepreneurship.”

Delegates took a guided tour of the e-Innovation Centre at the Telford Innovation Campus as part of the three-day training programme, run by the University of Wolverhampton Business School. In her opening remarks, the Dean of the Business School, Dr. Anthea Gregory, said: “The Business School and indeed the University has the capacity to work together with institutions abroad, particularly in Nigeria, to create graduate jobs and to reduce youth unemployment through entrepreneurship education.”

The visit was organised by Dr. Paschal Anosike, the UWBS programme manager, with support from Professor Ndy Ekere, Dean of the School of Technology and the University’s Ambassador to Africa.

Pictured: left to right – 1) Dr. Oluboyejo Olusanya – Provost Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos State; 2) Mr. Robinson Akujobi – Bursar, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Imo State; 3) Dr. Paschal Anosike – Programme Manager, UWBS; Prof. Ndy Ekere – Dean, School of Technology and University’s Ambassador to Africa; Prof. Geoff Layer – VC, University of Wolverhampton; Prof. Murtala Sagagi – Director Centre for African Entrepreneurship Research and Training, (CAERT) Bayero University Kano; and Mr Godwin Auta Ashituabe – Director Partnership and Consultancy, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State.

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