In response to the growing demand for graduates with both academic excellence and internationally recognized professional certifications, several institutions have formed a collaboration aimed at equipping students with essential 21st-century skills. The Lagos University Teaching Hospital Schools, Hillside University of Science and Technology, Aletheia University, and Ahman Pategi University have partnered to provide training focused on lucrative international certification-based ICT and project management skills, targeting the persistent issue of graduate unemployment.
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Tim Akano, the Managing Director and CEO of New Horizons, highlighted the significance of this partnership, noting that the four universities are taking proactive measures to remain relevant in today’s rapidly advancing technological landscape, which includes fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning. New Horizons intends to utilize its 43 years of international expertise as a U.S.-based organization, which operates 370 centers across 71 countries and has been active in Nigeria for 20 years, to ensure that undergraduates acquire recognized IT, e-business, and project development skills.
The initiative aims to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial prospects of graduates, positioning them competitively on a global scale alongside their peers from the U.S., Europe, Asia, and beyond. Professor Iheayinchukwu Okoro, Vice-Chancellor of Hillside University of Science and Technology, led the signing of the program’s commencement with New Horizons, alongside key personnel from the institution.
In a related event, Professor Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), expressed enthusiasm about a newly established strategic partnership, indicating that this collaboration would enrich the institution’s training programs in ICT, aligning them with advancements in global medical practices.
At Aletheia University in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, the principal officers, under Professor Amos Adeyinka, stated that the partnership would enhance the value offered to students both during and after their studies by providing entrepreneurial empowerment and better preparing the university for global competition.
Additionally, Ahman Pategi University in Kwara State expressed its excitement at the beginning of the year with this new alliance. This collaboration aims to empower students and staff, allowing them to stay ahead of their peers from other institutions without such training. Graduates from Ahman Pategi University are expected to emerge as highly employable individuals with access to a wide range of opportunities by obtaining international skills and certifications.
