Funmi Ogundare
Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, recently partnered the Project Management Institute (PMI) Nigeria to equip students with globally recognised project management skills and improve their competitiveness in the international job market.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will provide students with access to professional development opportunities, globally recognised certifications and PMI’s international community of project professionals.
The collaboration will also facilitate the establishment of a sustainable PMI student club at the university, while promoting evidence-based project management, thought leadership and regional research.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, PMI Africa Head of Community, Mrs. Adeola Akande, explained that the partnership would help expand student membership across Africa and provide aspiring project professionals with greater access to global certifications.
According to her, the initiative would empower students with capabilities needed to drive innovation, digital transformation and entrepreneurship.
The Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stressing that the partnership is consistent with the institution’s commitment to developing people.
“We are about growing and building people, and this is about growing people. Let’s do this,” Ojewole said.
Also speaking, PMI Nigeria President, Dr. Gbolahan Oyelakin, described the MoU as historic, noting that PMI student clubs provide opportunities for networking, leadership development and access to professional certification programmes.
As part of the partnership, PMI also announced an all-expenses-paid trip to Cape Town for one Babcock University student to attend an upcoming regional programme later this year.
The signing ceremony, held at the Vice-Chancellor’s Boardroom, was attended by senior university officials, including the Senior Vice President Academics, Prof. Jonathan Nwosu; Vice President, Advancement and Development, Dr. Olaniyi Arije; Director of Legal Services, Dr. Joseph Agada; and Chief of Staff, Dr. Joshua Suleiman.
The PMI delegation was led by its team lead and accompanied by seven other members.
The partnership aligns with Babcock University’s GRACE mandate, which focuses on producing globally relevant graduates who are research-focused, Adventist-rooted, competent and entrepreneurial.
The university said that the collaboration represents a significant step towards preparing its students for professional success and greater opportunities in the global marketplace.