The Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics (ASE), Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, has called for greater collaboration among universities and urged them to confront pressing global challenges.

Adedimeji made the call in his address titled “Ideas Rule the World”, delivered at the fourth Public Lecture of the university in Abuja on Wednesday.

The lecture, “The 21st Century Nigerian University: Pitfalls and Pathways”, was delivered by Prof. Moses Ochonu of Vanderbilt University, United States.

Citing a study by the University of Lincoln, Adedimeji identified the 10 grand challenges of the 21st century as shifting economic powers, living in a global society, absence of vision and foresight, and technological disruption.

Others include migration and mobility, which he said is reflected in the “Japa syndrome” in Nigeria, conflict and war, civic disaffection, and growing inequality of wealth and income.

He also added environmental and ecological degradation, as well as issues of identity and changing societal norms.

He noted that tackling these challenges would require functional university education and urged higher institutions to unite in responding to both global and national concerns.

Using the metaphor of an eagle that soars high with a tortoise before dropping it to break its shell and eat it, he encouraged Nigerians to embrace challenges as opportunities to rise.

“An obstacle,” he said, “is converted by an eagle into an opportunity to deploy its full strength and soar even higher”.

He, however, advised that unlike the solitary eagle, universities should operate through synergy and cooperation.

“I, therefore, call for concerted efforts of the Triple Helix, the government, academia, and industry/society to accord the university its pride of place by doing what is right at the right time.

“It is said that one can travel fast alone, but only far together,” he added.

In his lecture, Guest Speaker Prof. Moses Ochonu identified crucial challenges confronting Nigerian universities.

Ochonu decried the subversion of the cosmopolitan ethos of higher education, which he said had given way to provincialism and academic inbreeding.

He advocated for the introduction of a Student Bill of Rights and stressed the need to recognise and reward excellent teaching in order to improve educational quality.

The event was attended by key stakeholders in the university system, including the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu.

Also in attendance was the Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), among others. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade