The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has called for stronger international partnerships to improve practical training, research and technology transfer in Nigerian universities.
Alausa made the call during a visit to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania, United States, where he led a Nigerian delegation to explore opportunities for transnational education partnerships with the institution.
During the September 18 visit, the delegation toured the university’s applied learning facilities and STEM laboratories, including its advanced manufacturing, robotics, cybersecurity, data analytics, biotechnology and health sciences facilities. Discussions with the university’s leadership also focused on student pathways, workforce development and possible collaboration with Nigerian institutions.
Alausa said international education partnerships should go beyond providing access to foreign qualifications, stressing the need for arrangements that promote knowledge exchange, research and innovation, faculty development, technology transfer and stronger links between universities and industry.
He identified artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, robotics, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and health sciences as areas where such partnerships could strengthen laboratory-based learning and research capacity in Nigeria.
According to the minister, collaboration in the emerging fields could also expose Nigerian students and academics to practical approaches to learning and help universities produce graduates with skills that meet industry requirements and the demands of the digital economy.
The engagement also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s Diaspora BRIDGE initiative, which is designed to connect Nigerian scholars and professionals abroad with universities, research institutions and other educational institutions in the country.
BRIDGE, which stands for Bridging Research, Innovation, Development and Global Engagement, provides a structured platform for diaspora professionals to contribute through teaching, research, mentorship, innovation, knowledge transfer and institutional partnerships without necessarily relocating to Nigeria. The initiative was formally launched by the Federal Ministry of Education in July 2025.
Alausa also interacted with Nigerian and other African students at Harrisburg University, emphasising the importance of maintaining academic and cultural connections between Africans abroad and institutions on the continent.
The visit coincided with the 2026 African Cultural Festival in Harrisburg, themed “The Great Reunion: Culture, Education, and Collaboration,” which brought together discussions around education, cultural exchange and collaboration.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the engagement formed part of broader efforts to build international academic partnerships that can translate global expertise and emerging technologies into practical benefits for Nigerian students, institutions and the wider economy.
