There is a huge demand for tertiary education services in Nigeria. Yet, the country is not the first choice destination for establishment of campuses of foreign universities.
Ghana is more favoured over Nigeria in this regard as the country hosts some foreign universities – including Webster University – which is seeking to enroll Nigerian students in its Accra campus.
Prof Benjamin Akande explained why at an interaction with journalists at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The Professor of Economics and former Dean of the university’s business school said the Ghanaian government makes procedures easier to follow than its Nigerian counterpart.
“The decision to go to Ghana for us was a strategic first step. The environmental responsiveness of the government made it easy. As you know and I know that is not the case here in Nigeria. When the decision was made I was part of the process. I wanted to make sure it was on solid ground and it was,” he said.
Akande said it was painful that as a Nigerian the campus could not be established in his country; but added that the institution is open to collaborations if the government is open-minded.
Webster University, Ghana, is one of the nine campuses of the institution, which was established in the United States in 1915.
Underscoring the advantages of international institutions like Webster establishing in Nigeria, Akande said the institution would bring in over 100 years’ worth of experience delivering quality tertiary education that is labour-market ready.
Apart from Ghana, Webster has campuses in Geneva, Switzerland; Bangkok,Thailand; Leiden, Netherlands; Vienna, Austria; United Kingdom; Athens, Greece; China, and St Louis, which is the main campus in the United States.
Ms Christa Sanders, Director of Webster University also said that students of the institution enjoy the unique opportunity of studying for a semester or session in other campuses of the university at no additional cost.
“Study abroad is one of the exciting pieces of Webster University. We give free air fare. We encourage our students to visit any of the nine campuses – spend a time say in Bangkok, Thailand. From the Ghana campus, we have students studying in the U.S. and U.K,” she said.
Another feature Ms Sanders said is unique about the school is its global citizenship programmes to help the students develop skills that would serve them well in any part of the world. She said the students are exposed to critical thinking, ethical, oral and written skills aimed at preparing them to compete on the global stage.
At the event, the university introduced its new one-year MBA programme tagged the “Faster Master.” The 36-credit hour programme requires students to complete two courses in a nine-week term until all programmes are covered.