By : Tenidunni Abiru
The Association for West African Universities (AWAU) is seeking to establish a mutual relationship with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) towards promoting educational collaboration among institutions in the West African sub-region.
This was made known when the Chairman of the association and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, Prof. Johnson Boampong led his team on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono at the Fund’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Boampong commended TETFund for its role in the development of higher education in Nigeria.
He further stated that the purpose of the visit was to discuss issues of mutual interest with the Fund, which include improving education in Nigeria and expanding the Fund’s influence through West Africa.
He also sought the support of the Fund to achieve the goals of the association.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Secretary-General of AWAU and Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole stated that the association intends to establish capacity building centres to be domiciled in institutions across West Africa for use as capacity training sites for academic staff throughout the sub-region.
He, therefore, requested the Fund’s support just as he added that the project would go a long way in building and equipping academic staff with necessary skills to pursue excellence in tertiary institutions in West Africa.
In his response, Arc. Sonny S.T Echono expressed appreciation to the leadership of the association for the visit and also commended AWAU’s efforts at improving the quality of higher education in West Africa.
While pointing out the low ranking of tertiary institutions in Nigeria in the global ranking scheme, the Executive Secretary stated that the Fund would work within its mandate towards deepening partnership with the association as a means of increasing the ranking of Nigerian Universities and impacting institutions in West Africa.
