The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, to establish a study centre and formalise an affiliation between the two institutions.
The agreement was signed at the office of the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Gbenga Ibileye, in the presence of management teams from both institutions.
Ibileye said the partnership is in line with the university’s vision of extending its programmes to institutions within its catchment area.
The deal comes about eight months after the College’s Provost, Dr. Paul Femi Fashagba, approached Ibileye on a mutually beneficial partnership following his assumption of office as Vice Chancellor.
Under the MoU, the study centre will offer undergraduate programmes in Mass Communication, Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, Industrial Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Computer Science, Business Education, Statistics, Mathematics and Physics. The agreement also allows for other programmes to be added.
In an interview, Ibileye said the university was determined to open its doors to programmes that would enhance teaching and learning. He commended Fashagba’s commitment to the initiative, while noting that academic standards are governed by procedure.
He said the College had chosen to partner with a university next door rather than one far away, which would bring logistical challenges and higher costs.
“Issues of logistics and requests will be handled without officials having to travel long distances,” he said.
Ibileye added that the university’s quality assurance mechanisms would apply to all programmes run under the partnership.
Kogi State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Hellen Aderibigbe, praised the vision of both leaders, saying the agreement would strengthen teaching and learning.
Fashagba described the signing as a dream come true for the College and thanked the university for finding it worthy of the partnership.
He said the arrangement covers affiliation and a study centre, through which a number of degree programmes will be made available to the College, including for the conversion of diplomas and other qualifications. He said the university conducted an assessment of the College before approving the partnership.
“We looked at the various areas where we can have relationships and put them on paper,” Fashagba said.
According to him, the MoU will allow the College to run a study centre under the university’s supervision. He assured stakeholders that the College would live up to expectations.
