The management of the University of Ilorin has partnered with the University of Bedfordshire (UoB), UK, in the areas of research and academic programmes.

The two institutions put finishing touches to the partnership arrangement at the 2015/2016 Leadership Futures Series organised by the University of Bedfordshire.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), was the Guest Speaker at the programme where an agreement was reached.

Ambali, whose lecture was titled "Higher Education and its Challenges in Developing Countries: The Nigerian Experience", sought an effective collaboration between the two universities to enable their staff and students have access to quality education and international exposure.

Vice-Chancellor, who was accompanied by the Director of the Centre for Research and In-House Training (CREDIT), University of Ilorin, Prof. T. Oladiji, among other senior officials of the institution, had a fruitful discussion with the management of UoB.

While speaking on the outcome of the discussions, Professor Ambali disclosed that opportunities have now opened for Unilorin graduates to go for their Masters and Ph.D programmes at the University of Bedfordshire.

He added that the University of Ilorin is interested in collaborating with its Bedfordshire counterpart in the areas of delivery of specialist courses like Business School-Digital marketing, Project Management, Event Management, Business Administration (Top-up), Biotech, Forensic, Biomedical Engineering, Bio Informatics, Robotics Engineering, Performing Arts and several others.

The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the collaboration would afford the students of the University of Ilorin ample opportunities to run their Masters and Ph.D programmes at UoB with subsidised fees.

He said that they also stand the good chance to enjoy benefits from the wide coverage of professional accreditation.

The Vice-Chancellor said that with this and many collaborative drives of the University with other institutions within and outside the country, staff and students of the University of Ilorin will be better positioned to enlist their names in the global map as far as sound and qualitative education is concerned.