A United Kingdom-registered non-governmental organization with a mandate to improve equitable access to quality education, Professors Without Borders has commenced a 5-day training programme for faculty members and students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Speaking at the training which kicked off on Monday, July 17, 2023 at the Faculty of Law, UNILAG, the representative of the organization in Nigeria, Titus Ayodele acknowledged the efforts of UNILAG management towards enhancing scholarship by creating and promoting an enabling environment.
Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa during an interaction with the group led by its Nigeria Rep. Titus Ayodele
While re-affirming the organization’s keen interest in promoting human capital development, Titus Ayodele applauded the university management for its commitment to an existing Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the group. The MoU is targeted at promoting scholarship, social entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to him, our group aims to change the narrative by encouraging professors in developed countries to go back to their home countries rather than taking students out of developing nations. Learners/participants in our programmes are drawn from diverse groups including undergraduates from various Faculties and departments as well as Faculty Members from different academic backgrounds.
Speaking on behalf of the Foreign Facilitators of Professors without Borders, the Chief Programmes Officer, Rachel Warmick said the core focus of the training programme is to enhance entrepreneurship, empowerment, leadership, sustainable development as well as absorption of skills to change narratives among students.
Her words, “The facilitators are poised to bring out the best in studentship, as the core basis is to sharpen individual critical thinking and application of knowledge to solution-driven mechanisms”.
Delegates of Professors without Borders later paid a courtesy visit to the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola OON, FAS, where they were received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa alongside some principal officers of the university.
Chief Programmes Officer, Rachel Warnick told the UNILAG management that the ongoing training programme has 30 Lecturers and 90 Students in attendance. She commended the participating students for their enthusiasm, and thanked the management of the University for the receptive audience.
In her remarks, Professor Ayodele Atsenuwareiterated the university’s readiness to explore and leverage the potential embedded in scholastic engagement.
She stressed that the university is not only raising the bar in research and learning but also ensuring students’ engagement to raise future-ready youths with strong human capital skills and entrepreneurial drive.
The duo of Professors Atsenuwa and Oboh during the courtesy visit
to the University of Lagos
Similarly, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics and Research, Professor Bola Oboh, in her remarks noted that the training programme will enhance critical thinking and attitudinal re-orientation for leadership nurturing and relevant skills acquisition among the students.
Director of Academic Planning, University of Lagos, Professor Mathew Ilori identified the teeming youthful population in Africa as a huge blessing due to the enormous potential and reservoir of talent waiting to be tapped.
He said the training being conducted by Professors without Borders will build competence and help unlock potential in participants.
