From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Australia, Anderson Madubike has described as a misnomer, the fact that Nigeria with her size, economy, diaspora and international students does not yet have a university ranking among the top 200 universities globally.
The High Commissioner stated that Nigeria has the highest number of students from Africa studying abroad, and emphasized the need for collaboration with institutions outside the country to increase the capacity of Nigeria’s higher institutions.
Madubike who spoke in a paper he titled, ‘The Golden fish – Nigeria’, said while planning on how best to broaden the bilateral relations between Nigeria and Australia and the other nations in the Pacific Region, he discovered that one area that has developed probably independent of government was the education sector.
He said, “I therefore thought that the first priority might be to strengthen educational collaboration between Nigeria and Australia. Australia’s educational system is highly developed as can be expected and Nigeria has a lot to learn and emulate.
“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the education sector employs nearly eight per cent of Australian workers, it is the fourth largest export earner, after coal, iron ore and natural gas, bringing in around A$16 billion in 2013/14 and up to A$40 billion in 2019. No wonder, the opportunities abound everywhere in the country and Nigerians continue to excel in them.”
He said that having realized the paucity of information on the investment opportunities and incentives that exist in both countries, he developed a plan of action on education amongst others, which he called ‘Partnership for Tomorrow’.
“First, we have to note the challenges faced by our country on education, especially funding, then find a fulcrum through which we can connect the country with international sources of finance or support to protect and provide quality education for our teeming youths. That is a huge challenge. However, at a primary level, I am creating linkages with many Australian universities including Torrens University Australia, Tafe Queensland, Australian National University, Charles Darwin University, University of New England etc.”
Madubuike said the idea was to encourage partnership with Nigerian universities to drive student and teacher exchanges, scholarship, training and exchange of best practices, joint research programmes and support, adding that the engagements were bearing some fruits.
Also the High Commissioner disclosed that he was also “working on midwifing an agreement between Nigerian and Australian Ministries of Education for enhanced cooperation and engagement. Partnership would be needed to support educational development especially to address future-oriented skill development, training and improve research methodologies in our relevant institutions.”
The High Commission under his stewardship he said, was is organising a summit titled ‘Nigeria/Australia Business Summit’ next month June in Canberra and Melbourne under the following thematic areas: Mining, Education, Agriculture, Technology and Tourism and would provide a platform for an enlightened discourse on the numerous investment opportunities in both countries and how to leverage on them for mutual benefits.
He commended Nigerian studnts in Australia saying, “I have also met Nigerian students who are excelling in their academics, pursuing various degree and Ph.D. programmes. Mr. Olabanji Odunsi Osinubi invariably comes to my mind and stands out. A brilliant Nigerian student, who studied two Professional Accounting Graduate programmes within the same academic year at Torrens University Australia. This is who we are, and there are many Olabanjis in other Universities here.”