March 2007
First for Wales in Nigeria
Wales International Consortium (WIC), Swansea University and University of Wales Institute, Cardiff will be visiting Nigeria in March 2007. A ten day recruitment roadshow representing Wales higher education will visit the cities of Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria. In addition to the roadshow, Wales International Consortium and British Council Nigeria are jointly hosting a higher education workshop and the first-ever Wales alumni dinner, in Lagos.
Against the backdrop of the Right Hon Bill Rammell's UK-Africa initiative, WIC is hosting a seminar on Globalisation & Transnational Education. Dr Dovin Salami, Lagos Business School, will deliver the main paper for discussion by an invited audience of educationalists. Virginia West, Director, WIC will begin the evening with a summary of current developments in Wales. The event will take place on Thursday 8th March in Lagos.
The alumni dinner will take place in Lagos on Friday 9th March. Though individual institutions regularly hold alumni events throughout the world this is the first event welcoming alumni from all higher education institutions in Wales.
John Phillips, Dean of International Affairs, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and WIC Board member said, “We are looking forward to raising the profile of Wales higher education within Nigeria through both the roadshow and events. The alumni event should be particularly exciting as Nigeria has some formidable alumni with a great deal of loyalty and affection for Wales.
It is evident from the 6% increase this year in Nigerian students opting to study in Wales, and the number of prestigious Wales alumni in Nigeria that international students recognize the quality of Wales higher education. Over the years this has produced an exceptional calibre of student who return to their own country to become the leaders of the future. We are proud to be part of the Wales alumni event and look forward to hearing their exceptional success stories.”