About 200-level students of the University of Lagos have commenced a summer school for unlocking global connectivity between Europe and Africa.
The programme that commenced recently under the “UNILAG-Jean Monnet Module Programme”, an EU-Africa Connectivity (EU-Africa Connect) project under the Erasmus+ programme is meant for
African scholars to gain a relevant understanding of the European Union (EU) culture, policy and systems.
Speaking on the programme, Professor of Economics and Project Coordinator of the EU-Africa Connect, UNILAG-Jean Monnet Module Programme, Olufemi Saibu, explained that several European countries have several institutes of African studies where they gain an understanding of Africa, saying Africans on the other had few of such centre where lectures about Europe can be thought.
He said the training programme would enable participants, who do not have any background knowledge about European countries and activities of the EU, to have a profound understanding of EU countries and their connection with Africa before graduation.
He explained that the overall objective of the programme is to equip participants with appropriate cutting-edge skills and knowledge that are sufficient for relating well with the EU systems and institutions at local and international levels and also for making informed decisions and contributing to African economic and socio-political integration and connectivity with Europe, and the global community.
Besides, he said the programme tagged: “Bringing Europe Closer to Africa”, would run for three years and in sequence under three formats- summer school, seminars and conferences for 200-level scholars only.
Saibu said many African Universities only emphasised the study of foreign languages such as French or German and so forth, saying such academic programmes are not conceived to address the interdisciplinary nature of EU studies, particularly as regards their political institutions, and economic and social interactions.
He said now with the programmes with 150 targeted students as participants, many European scholars from France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Bulgaria and so forth are to teach the students about their country peculiarities including economic and social systems, languages, cultures and values as well as their common bond as EU members.
He said they would be physically present alongside their Nigerian counterparts on campus as their presentations would be mostly practicals.
Dr. Gerald Heusing, an associate professor at the Department of European Languages at UNILAG and one of the facilitators, said the special studies would further prepare the students to be work-ready and relevant ahead of graduation.
According to the German-born lecturer, there is a diversity of culture and values not only from one country to another but also across the continents and it’s therefore important that students are well prepared to compete favourably in the global market.
Two of the students, Ahmad Masud and Precious Oboh, medical laboratory science and mass communication students, respectively, told EducationRoadmap that they had gained a lot about Nigeria and African cultures and values.
They expressed optimism that they trainees would be better equipped with the right knowledge and skills in the areas of studies than their non-participating colleagues.
