Russian university craves partnership with NOUN

The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, has received a 4-man delegation from the Irkustsk National Research Technological University (INRTU), Russia, who visited with the aim of establishing partnership with the university.

The Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Mr. Stepan Bykov, the Head of International Affairs, Ms. Anna Melenteva, a specialist in the Foreign Admission Office, Mr. Belousov Grigorii and the Vice-Rector's Advisor, Mr. Klimentiy Batoroev visited the NOUN VC at the university headquarters in Abuja on Monday, April 17, 2023.

The meeting's goal was to talk about prospective collaboration options and how to enhance inclusivity, holistic education, and collaborative learning with NOUN.

The delegation also disclosed that the partnership intends to improve and expand both the presence of students from Nigeria and the potential for student exchange programmes.

Responding the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, said the National Open University of Nigeria remains open to cooperation with any organisation which would seek improvement in Nigerian education and expose its students to internationally-recognised concepts they may not normally have access to.

The VC also expressed his satisfaction with the visit and expressed a desire for further chances to be created between INRTU and NOUN, as well as Nigeria as a whole.

"We anticipate that this collaboration will further solidify the two countries' bilateral ties," said the vice chancellor.

The Vice-Rector for foreign affairs and group leader, Mr. Stepan Bykov, presented the university's origins, accomplishments, and facilities for both domestic and international students, and also played a mini video to that effect.

Bykov then offered a summary of how a possible cooperation with NOUN might help to facilitate cooperation in relation to education, which includes mobility and scholarship programmes in addition to other options.

NOUN’s director of Academic Planning (DAP), Prof. Godwin Akper, said before the collaboration could begin, the Russian institution needs to visit the National Universities Commission (NUC) and tie up any loose ends on the legal sides of both nation, stressing that he has high hopes that it would be a profitable undertaking.