The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced plans to reposition the Nigerian university system by implementing the Core Curriculum and Minimum Non-Academic Standards (CCMAS) and reviewing guidelines on transnational education.
The Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, made this disclosure on Saturday during the 10th Convocation Ceremony of Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State.
He explained that the Commission is undertaking key initiatives to enhance the quality and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities. These include curriculum development and the establishment of new academic and non-academic standards, referred to as CCNAS, which emphasize the acquisition of 21st-century employability skills. Ribadu noted that these standards are now accessible online and remotely for all universities and stakeholders.
Represented at the event by Chukwuemeka Ofor, Ribadu highlighted that the curriculum review adopted a 70/30 framework for the English investigation content: 70% of the minimum academic standards are mandatory for graduation in Nigerian universities, while the remaining 30% can be tailored by individual institutions to align with their specific goals.
He further revealed that the Commission has recently revised guidelines on transnational education (TNE) to facilitate the entry of foreign universities and innovators into the Nigerian higher education system. Through this framework, foreign institutions can establish campuses in Nigeria or partner with existing universities under six competitive modes: franchise, branch campus, training and articulation, open and distance learning (ODL), acquisition, and teaching institutions.
Transnational education allows students to pursue higher education qualifications from foreign institutions while remaining in their home country or another country. This can be achieved through branch campuses, franchising, joint degree programmes, or online learning. According to NUC, TNE expands access to quality education, mitigates brain drain, and enhances local skills by making foreign university programmes available domestically through diverse delivery methods.
