The University of Greenwich is collaborating with Kebbi State in north-western Nigeria to establish a new University there. As a key part of this, thirty-two students from Kebbi State arrived here in October 2006 to study on MSc programmes in a number of subjects, especially Natural Resource Management, Science (including Biotechnology), Computer Studies, and Engineering. Nearly a year later, they have successfully gained their Master's degrees and are now returning home to play an important role in the academic development of the new Kebbi State University. John Linton, NRI's Commercial Director, said "It has been a great pleasure to have the Kebbi group studying with us: they fitted in very well and adapted to the inevitable challenges of undertaking postgraduate studies in a foreign country, they worked hard, and our staff have greatly enjoyed teaching them. We are delighted with their success, which is a reflection of their effort and enthusiasm."
However, that is not the end of the story. A third of the successful MSc graduates will be returning to Greenwich later in the autumn to study as research postgraduates (for MPhil/PhD degrees), and a further 20 students from Kebbi State will be arriving in October to start their MSc programmes with us. As part of the collaborative arrangements, staff from NRI are also assisting with an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a vegetable oil research centre within the new University in Kebbi State.
For more information on MSc programmes at NRI, contact Dr Peter Burt (P.J.A.Burt@gre.ac.uk), and for information on research degrees (MPhil/PhD or MSc by Research) at NRI, contact Prof. Andrew Westby (A.Westby@gre.ac.uk). To learn more about this collaboration with Kebbi State, and similar initiatives, please contact John Linton (J.Linton@gre.ac.uk).