By Femi Adeolu, ASE
Ireland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr Peter Ryan, has expressed his commitment to supporting African School of Economics (ASE), the Pan-African University of Excellence, in achieving its vision.
The Ambassador made this commitment while paying a courtesy visit to the management of the university on the ASE campus in Abuja.
Ryan noted that his country is ready to explore potential collaborations and partnerships with ASE with a view to achieving such shared goals of promoting education, entrepreneurship, and cultural exchange between Irish universities and African School of Economics.
While introducing the university to him, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, highlighted its transformational vision and stressed its strengths in research, culture and entrepreneurship. He noted that through high quality education, ASE aims to produce job creators and entrepreneurs who will contribute to societal development, rather than mere job seekers.
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The VC said he looked forward to enjoying the cooperation of the ambassador in facilitating student and faculty exchange programmes between Irish institutions and ASE.
He described ASE as a conventional university that envisions providing the best of transnational education to African students through a chain of partnerships it enjoys with global universities. He added that the university provides robust training for students in Public Health, Language and Literature, History and Diplomatic Studies, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology and Security Studies, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Microbiology and Medical Laboratory Science, among others.
Country Director of ASE, Mr Obinna Obiwulu, reiterated ASE’s commitment to cross-country collaborations and in-depth research. He added that ASE Nigeria is built upon the successes of its postgraduate campuses in Benin and Cote d’Ivoire, aiming to increase African participation in providing solutions to African problems.
“The university seeks to provide equal opportunity access to quality education regardless of social stratification. In Nigeria, access to quality education is synonymous with wealth. The university is therefore dedicated to producing equal opportunity access regardless of social stratification,” he said.
Citing the institution’s research contribution to the Hollywood blockbuster, ‘The Woman King,’ the Country Director stressed the institution’s commitment to research and the work by ASE Arts to elucidate obscure dimensions of African culture and history.
Ryan acknowledged the long-standing history between the Irish and Nigerian people, pre- and post-independence. He praised Ireland’s culture of localising foreign investments and creating employment, thus making them perfect partners for ASE.
He emphasised Ireland’s passionate commitment to advancing education, saying, “We control our freedom through education.”
He also highlighted the need to build bridges between young Nigerians overseas and those indigenous to the country.
Regarding partnerships, the ambassador noted that Ireland would gladly facilitate partnerships between ASE and European Union universities, not just Irish universities.
The Registrar, Mrs Emilomo Fowowe Ogunboye, thanked the ambassador while expressing the institution’s anticipation for deeper engagements with the Irish Embassy. She also praised the VC for excellent leadership and the faculty and staff for their cooperation.