6th December 2010 - National Universities Commission

At the end of the visit, the Nigerian delegation got an insight into the challenges of managingthe proposed expansion of enrolment to keep pace with state and local workforce needs,managing relations with students, staff, alumni, university host community and otherstakeholders in the university’s expansion and securing the necessary financial resources tosustain educational and programme excellence. Both parties agreed that there wereopportunities for MOUs to be executed in the areas of student and staff exchange and postgraduatetraining.Amherst, MassachusettsMs Cynthia Melcher of the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts organised theMassachusetts phase of the programme. The delegation received various briefings from themanagers of the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) at Amherst, which centred on studentand alumni relations, curriculum development, fund raising and agriculture. The meetingnoted that UMASS at Amherst, had over 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students and1,180 fulltime faculty. Discussions also revolved around the university’s growth in studentenrolment, itsworldwide alumninetwork and itsfacilities. There was avisit to the university’sStockbridge School,which offered degreesin Agriculture,Horticulture andAnimal Science, andthe University farm,which was of particularinterest to the Vice-Chancellors of theUniversities of The delegation being conducted round the University of New Orleans NavalAgriculture, MakurdiEngineering laboratoryand Abeokuta.The delegation also visited Smith College, a local institution with an outstanding engineeringprogramme. The Smith College programme was distinguished by its emphasis on hands-onlearning and low student-faculty ratio and it has, since inception in 1871, remained an allwomen’sCollege. The Vice-Provost of the College gave an exposé of their expertise onalumni relations, financial planning and fund raising.New Orleans, LouisianaMr. Adnan Suleman of the New Orleans Citizens Diplomacy Council (NOCDC) anchoredthe last lap of the programme in the state of Louisiana. At the Delgado Community College,the delegation was informed that the College, named after its benefactor Isaac Delgado, anineteenth century businessman and sugar cane plantation owner, was established in 1909 astrade school for young boys. With the advent of state funding in 1980, it became DelgadoCommunity College and was renowned as Louisiana’s oldest and largest community College,serving men and women of all ages who reflect the diversity of the New OrleansPage 7