Nigeria Universities Updates

Edinburgh Business School (EBS) is working with Canon Collins Trust to select applicants for the EBS Distance Learning MBA Scholarship. This is open to applicants from all over sub-Saharan Africa. Canon Collins Trust will select disadvantaged individuals who have the motivation and capacity to undertake the Distance Learning MBA, but who face funding difficulties. The aim of the Scholarship Programme is to support life long learning amongst communities where it will make a positive contribution towards their development, and give individuals valuable post-graduate education which will enhance their day to day work.

The Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Distance Learning is comprised of 9 courses; 7 core courses and 2 elective courses. A scholarship recipient is initially entitled to do one course towards the MBA at a time. Following successful completion of two courses the recipient may be able to study a number of courses concurrently if agreed with EBS.

The award will continue as long as the recipient passes each exam on the first occasion and stays living in Africa.

MBA Scholarship Application Information

Edinburgh Business School (EBS) is part of Heriot-Watt University, the eighth oldest higher education institution in the UK. EBS is the Graduate School of Business at the university. EBS is one of the world’s largest international business schools and has 7,300 current students across the world, along with over 11,000 alumni.

Edinburgh Business School (EBS), working with Canon Collins Trust, seeks to afford applicants the opportunity of gaining valuable postgraduate level education that will enhance their day to day work.

EBS will award MBA scholarships on a competitive basis to women and men from sub-Saharan Africa.

All applicants must be committed to using the knowledge, training and skills acquired on the MBA programme for the general benefit of their home community and country. Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:

* financial need
* intellectual ability
* evidence of national and/or regional commitment
* future impact

For more information about the MBA and Edinburgh Business School you can go to their website: http://www.ebsglobal.net

The scholarship objectives are:

* to afford disadvantaged individuals the opportunity to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve their lives and the lives of others around them
* to encourage and promote needs based education and life-long learning
* to exist as a solid contributor to the development of people skills in sub-Saharan Africa.

Scholarship Information

* The Edinburgh Business School (EBS) MBA Scholarship is for the distance learning MBA only.
* The Scholarship scheme is open to nationals of countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
* Applicants should be over the age of 25 and be working or self-employed (within small and micro enterprises especially).
* The MBA is comprised of 9 courses; 7 core courses and 2 elective courses.
* A scholarship recipient is initially entitled to do one course towards the MBA at a time. Following successful completion of two courses the recipient may be able to study a number of courses concurrently if agreed with EBS.
* Each course is assessed by examination only (i.e. no assignments, no continuous assessment). Exams run every 6 months across many cities in Africa.
* The examination for the first course must be attempted within nine months of the award.
* A nominal contribution to each exam will be paid by the scholar.
* The award will continue as long as the recipient passes each exam on the first occasion and stays living in Africa.
* On successful completion of the course, EBS will allow the scholar to choose his or her next course.
* For detailed information on modules and content visit: http://www.ebsglobal.net
* Full Terms and Conditions will be available on demand
* Awards are non-transferable

Application Process

Complete the application form carefully and send the following documents with the application form:

* Certified copy of undergraduate degree certificate, plus university academic transcript
* One passport size photo with the applicant’s name clearly written on the back
* One academic reference in sealed envelope
* One employment reference in sealed envelope

Please post completed application form and supporting documents to:

Canon Collins Trust
22 The Ivories
Northampton Street
London N1 2HY
UK

Or email completed application forms and supporting documents to: jean@canoncollins.org.uk

Please note that we do not accept applications by fax.

Please be aware that Canon Collins Trust will assess many applications. It is important that you take time to complete the form accurately and legibly.

The deadline for applications is September 30th 2010.

Click here for more information

Popularity: 2% [?]

AS the two weeks ultimatum given to the management of the Lead City University, Ibadan to close down its Law Faculty and School of Postgraduate Studies or lose its operational licence, expired today, the National Universities Commission (NUC) is to decide the fate of the institution.

NUC had claimed that the two schools were being run illegally by the university management without due approval and ordered them to be closed down.

The Director, Academic Standards at NUC, Professor Alhassan Bichi, who briefed newsmen in Abuja, on the development, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Julius Okojie, had said that if within two weeks the two schools in the university were not closed down, the commission would use its sledge hammer on the institution.

He said that the commission had to resort to sanctioning the institution after all efforts to prevail on the school management to shut down the two programmes proved abortive.

The commission equally declared as illegal, certificates acquired by students from the two programmes and would not be recognized for the purpose of employment or further studies.

However, Professor Okojie, who declined comment on the imbroglio on Thursday, when the Nigerian Tribune was at the commission, said he would make public the position of the NUC today.

He said he would not want to pre-empt anything until the expiration of the ultimatum, which is today.

Effort to speak with the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, also was unsuccessful.

When the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Peter Obediegwu was called on his mobile phone he said: We are not in town and the Minister is expected back later today”.

Popularity: 2% [?]

To boost manpower development, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has inaugurated the second edition of its Niger Delta Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme.

The company in a statement said the initiative is part of continuing effort to develop indigenous manpower for the oil and gas industry.

The statement signed by the company’s spokesman, Mr. Precious Okolobo, said the second edition as in the pilot edition last year, 10 students from Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states will be sponsored to three British institutions – Imperial College, London, University College, London and University of Leeds for one-year Masters’ programmes.

The courses are Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Geoscience, Petroleum Geophysics, Engineering Geology, Exploration Geophysics, Oilfield Corrosion Engineering, Chemical Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering.

Potential beneficiaries, the company said, must possess a Bachelor’s degree in the relevant field of study at the Upper Second Class Level and have confirmed admission for any of the specified courses. The scholarship will cover tuition fees, one return flight from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and a contribution towards living expenses.

SPDC’s General Manager Nigerian Content Development, Simbi Wabote, said: “We are expecting the first batch of beneficiaries to finish later this year, and feedback from the universities has been very positive. We look forward to their returning home and contributing to the development of the oil and gas industry and their communities.”

The SPDC Joint Venture commenced scholarship awards in the 1960s for programmes in Nigerian and foreign institutions. At any one time, SPDC scholarships support over 17,000 secondary school and university students. In addition, SPDC runs the Shell Intensive Training programme (SITP) for graduate employees.

Support for education is just one aspect of SPDC’s social investments in the Niger Delta, and these range from small business development, agriculture and education to training, health care, micro credit and capacity building, the company added.

Popularity: 2% [?]

A total of 507 fresh students spread across six colleges of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, have taken the institution’s matriculation oath.

The university’s sixth matriculation is for 2010/2011 Academic session. It witnessed more students patronising College of Management Sciences (187)followed by College of Engineering which has 160 freshers. 　The College of Food Sciences has the least intake with 13 freshers.

The Vice – Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, who informed the new students that life in the university could be quite challenging, assured them that they will have opportunities to develop their intellect, commitment to learning and life of reflection.

Adeyemi advised them to make good use of the huge investment parents and guardians are making on their education and upkeep at the university, warning them to shun unwholesome association.

“The main purpose of your being here is to excel in your academics. The best time to lay the foundation for your final result is now. Your hardwork and dedication right from now will determine your final grade.

“Life is a race and only those who are fully equipped at this age of yours run it successfully and with golden medals. Do not associate yourself with those who will ruin your life…I admonish you to shun any sort of invitation to clandestine gatherings as this will destroy your future,” Adeyemi said.

Popularity: 2% [?]

No fewer than 1,012 out of 4,704 candidates invited for interactive session by the University of Ibadan, were denied admission for presenting fake or doubtful results.

The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isaac Adewole, while speaking at the matriculation of new students, disclosed that the affected candidates were, consequently, denied admission or dropped after an interactive session for poor performance, wrong subject combination in either Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or SSCE/NECO.

Professor Adewole said out of the 39, 573 candidates who made University of Ibadan their first choice and scored above 200 in the UTME, the university offered 3,692 admission.

However, the 3,508 candidates, who had been cleared by the institution took the matriculation oath.

He urged the new students to imbue themselves with both intellect and character, which would eventually play a great role in the transformation of Nigeria and the world at large.

While urging them to shun cultism and other vices, Professor Adewole counselled the students to display decent behaviour, calling for dedication, loyalty to the institution and unflinching commitment to the goals, objectives and revered tradition of the university.

Professor Adewole, who noted that there was high rate of unemployment in the country among graduates advised the matriculants to endeavour to take courses in entrepreneurship with a view to becoming employers of labour after graduating.

Popularity: 4% [?]

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the conduct of 2011 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from April to June 11, because of the forthcoming 2011 general election.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde, who announced this in Abuja, said the sale of application documentation would close on Friday, 29th April, 2011.

This would also give candidates ample time to register for the examination.

Professor Ojerinde, in a statement signed by the JAMB’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Timothy Oyedeji, made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the shifting of the examination usually conducted in April of every year, would allow the board more time to plan for its primary mandate and conduct a hitch-free UTME.

The statement said Professor Ojerinde, made the new date known during a joint prayer session for all staff of the board at the JAMB national headquarters, Bwari, Abuja.

He assured that the conduct of UTME this year would be smooth and hitch-free, learning from the few challenges encountered during the conduct of the examination in 2010, which was the first edition of the combined examination for entrance to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.

He further disclosed that some of the development projects embarked upon by the board included six state offices in Jigawa, Delta, Kwara, Oyo, Niger and Ekiti States would be completed mid-year.

“This is in addition to development of permanent structure for Test Development here to accommodate those recently moved from Kaduna” he said.

Professor Ojerinde also told the staffers of the proposed mass movements and transfers that would sweep across the board and urged them to be positive in appreciating the inherent benefits of the exercise.

He said the exercise might seem punitive but it was designed to enhance the competences of the workers in diverse areas of the Board’s operations and not intended to victimize anybody.

He added that the committee handling the exercise had already drawn out operational guidelines that would ensure that family lives were not disrupted in the impending changes.

Popularity: 9% [?]