University of Greenwich
YOU ARE VERY
WELCOME ………
EEESPEC PROJECT: EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS IN AFRICA PROGRAMME*
“Embedding Employability and
Entrepreneurship Skills into
Post-Graduate Degree Courses”
Professor Ndy Ekere
Dean, School of Engineering
University of Greenwich
Further Details:
Project Website: www.eeespec.org
Email: n.n.ekere@gre.ac.uk
*Funded by the UK Government Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills and administered by the British Council
28th March 2011
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My Educational Background & Work Experience….
Educational Background
Work Experience
1981 BEng. [Honours] Mechanical Engineering
(University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria)
2002 - Date: Dean of School Engineering and
Professor of Manufacturing,
University of Greenwich
1984 MSc Flexible Manufacturing Systems & Robotics
(Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK)
2005 – 2009 Member of Board of Governors,
West Kent College Tonbridge Kent
1998 – 2002 Professor of Manufacturing
Engineering, and Associate Head of
School/Director for Research,
University of Salford
1987 PhD Manufacturing Engineering
(UMIST, Manchester, United Kingdom)
1996 – 1998 Senior Lecturer in Manufacturing
Engineering, University of Salford,
1992 Chartered Engineer, MIEE
(The Institution of Electrical Engineers, UK)
2004 Fellow of IEE, FIEE (now FIET)
(The Institution of Electrical Engineers, UK)
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1989-1996
Lecturer in Manufacturing
Engineering, University of Salford
1989
Lecturer in Manufacturing
Engineering, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham
1988-1989
Postdoctoral Fellow UMIST,
Manchester
1987-1988
Project Assistant, UMIST,
Manchester
1982-1983
Mechanical Engineer, Project
Construction and Terminals
Operations, Shell Petroleum
Corporation, Warri, Nigeria
University of Greenwich
.. Former Woolwich Polytechnic .. Established 1890
 Second ‘Polytechnical Institute’ to be founded in
the UK
• to promote ‘the industrial skill, general
knowledge, health and well-being of young
people belonging to the poorer classes’.
Quintin Hogg
Woolwich Polytechnic focused on providing
high quality education in science and in
technical subjects such as engineering, as well
as art, commercial studies and domestic
management. 4
University of Greenwich
3 CAMPUSES
Greenwich Maritime Campus, Greenwich
Greenwich Maritime, Eltham London
Medway Campus, Chatham Kent
5
Nine Schools
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Architecture and Construction
The Business School
Computing & Mathematical Sciences
Education and Training
Health and Social Care
Humanities & Social Sciences
School of Engineering
Medway School of Pharmacy
School of Science
6
University of Greenwich Alumni Wins Nobel Prize for Physics, 2009
Professor Charles Kao CBE
(1957 Woolwich Polytechnic)
BEng in Electrical Engineering and graduated in 1957
•
Pioneer in fibre optics, Standard Telecommunications Laboratories
(STL) in Harlow
• Later Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University in Hong Kong
• His research enabled the use of fibre optics in telecommunications and
led to the development of the internet, video conferencing and electronic
commerce
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Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards, June 2010
Outstanding International Strategy award
Expertise in Capacity Building
(1). Tabeisa Project (with 4
African Universities):
Generating Employment for
disadvantaged communities
through small business creation,
the project supported over 100
commercial start-ups)
(3). Collaborative Programme
development: in Ethiopia, Botswana,
Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya
(4). Natural Resources Institute (NRI):
Capacity building through PhD’s with Kebbi
State University, Nigeria and many
collaborative research projects.
(3). Education Partnerships in Africa:
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Partnership with three Nigerian Universities
(2). Partnership with MSA
University in Cairo:
Collaborative programmes (over
2000 undergraduate students
are enrolled)
University of Greenwich – Awards for Research & Teaching
Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher Education, 2008
•
•
Professor John Humphries, Tabeisa Project
'tackling root causes of poverty in Africa'
The Knowledge Base Collaboration Award 2008
•
Professor Chris Bailey, School of Computing and Mathematics
University of Greenwich/Knowledge East working with Cutty Sark Trust
Professor Steve Torr, NRI University of Greenwich, 2009
•
Tsetse fly control discovery voted as one of the ten most important
discoveries to be made in a UK university over the past 60 years.
Times Higher Education Awards 2010
• Tony Mann, Innovative Teacher of the Year Award
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Some Definitions: Employability & Entrepreneurship
Employability:
A range of achievements, understandings, and personal
attributes that make their possessors more likely to gain
employment and be successful in their careers
Entrepreneurship:
The practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing
mature organizations. An entrepreneur undertakes the risk
of a business or similar enterprise.
Type of Skill:
•
•
•
•
Self-reliance skills (e.g. Planning action, proactivity, networking, etc.)
People skills (e.g. Team working, interpersonal, communications, etc.)
General employment skills (e.g. problem solving, numeracy, etc.)
Specialist skills (e.g. technical skills such as engineering, accounting, etc.)
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UK-Nigeria Education Summit at Abuja (October 2008)
 High Unemployment rate at 40% of annual turn over;
 Applicants outnumber placement by more than 3:1;
 Staffing levels at 40% below planned level;
 Postgraduate programmes pursued as a stop-gap
pending employment
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Skills Deficit – Workplace Awareness/Experience
 Federal Government of Nigeria’s SIWES provides workplace
experience for undergraduates;
 For science, engineering, environmental and business
courses only;
 Admission quota is 40:60 for arts and sciences
respectively;
 40% of annual turnover of graduates without
employability skills;


Employability skills are rarely taught in PG Courses;
Majority of PG students are unemployed on
completion of the degree programme.
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EPA 3: PROJECT DETAILS ….………..
Project Title: Developing high level employability skills through
collaborative development of postgraduate programmes
UK Project Partner
• University of Greenwich, UK (Lead Partner)
Nigerian Project Partners:
• Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State
• University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State
• Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State
Project Duration: October 2009 to March 2011
http://www.eeespec.org/project.htm
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PROJECT AIMS ….………..
Project Aims:
• Collaborate in postgraduate programme development and
Create forward looking courses in which entrepreneurship
and employability are firmly embedded
Project Focus:
• Engineering and Technology
• Computing and Information Technology (with a focus on
Mobile computing, wireless technologies and networking)
• International business (with focus on Management and leadership)
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How can E & E Skills be captured in PG Degree Curriculum ?
KEY CURRICULUM DESIGN/RE-DESIGN QUESTIONS
• What content shall we deliver?
• What strategies should be employed to deliver and assess
this content?
• How best do we operate within the existing and future
professional environment?
• How best can we facilitate the employability and
entrepreneurship of our graduates?
CURRICULUM AUDITING:
Testing how & where E & E related learning can be embedded
• Core discipline specific learning (e.g. disciplinary content and skills
expressed as expected learning outcomes)
• Generic transferable skills (e.g. management of self, others, information
and task)
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How are aspects E/E Developed within Curriculum ?
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC – NOT “ONE SIZE FITS ALL”
• Employability/Entrepreneurship through whole curriculum?
• Employability/Entrepreneurship in the core curriculum?
• Work-based or work-related learning?
• Employability/Entrepreneurship modules?
• Work-based or work related learning in parallel?
WHICH IS THE MOST PRACTICAL /COST EFFECTIVE ?
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What should the Postgraduate be able to do?
THREE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF EMPLOYABILITY
• Employers Perspective: discipline knowledge/skills as well
as workplace awareness/experience
• Student Perspective: possessing attributes that makes
one attractive to employers, successful careers
• University’s Perspective: developing PG students, to
enhance their academic learning, to broaden their
perspectives and experience and enable them to actively
enter the workforce.
HOW ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT - THEIR PERSPECTIVE?
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Project Launch Event at ABSU – March 2010
 Conference declared open and chaired by ABSU
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa
 Attendance-over 500 made up of students, lecturers and
PG Employers
 Presentations by Project partners
 Open forum and discussions
 Plenary session on employability
strategies
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Strategic Dialogue with Employers and visit to Industries
 Visits to Banks, Insurance Companies and
Manufacturers;
 Discussion with members of Alumni Association
 Visit to Oil Companies-SPDC, Adax, Agip and
Mobil;
 Dialogue with Personnel Unit of Ministries.
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Curriculum Development Seminar at UoG (June 2010)
 Conference declared open by Prof. Tom Barnes Deputy-VC
for Research and Enterprise University of Greenwich;
 Presentation by
 Prof. K. Rajah, Director School of Business, Tshwame University






of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa;
Prof. Leslie Johnson, Dean of School of Business, UoG;
Simon Walker, Head Education Development Team UoG;
Raj Bhatti, Head of PG, School of Engineering, UoG;
Prof. Akii Ibhodade, Faculty of Engineering, UNIBEN;
Prof. Martin Nwafor, HoD of Mechanical Engineering, FUTO;
Prof. I.U. Kalu, Dean School of Environmental Studies, ABSU
 Site visits to Aylesford Newsprint and Delphi Diesel
Systems Factory
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Dissemination Event at UNIBEN (5 October 2010)
 Chaired by the Deputy VC Academic who represented
the Vice Chancellor of UNIBEN;
 Presentations by Prof. I.U. Kalu of ABSU; Prof. Ndy
Ekere of UoG; Prof. Martin Nwafor of FUTO; Prof.
Akii Ibhadode & Dr. John Akpobi of UNIBEN,
 Open sessions featured contribution by Dean of
Engineering Prof. F. O. Edeako, Prof. G. Ovuworie of
Dept. of Prod. Engineering, alumni and employers of
labour.
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Dissemination Event, UNIBEN, 5 Oct 2010
Dissemination Event, UoG, 18 Feb 2011
EPA Curriculum Development Seminar
University of Greenwich, June 2010
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UK-Nigeria Universities Postgraduate
Employability Network (UNUPEN)
WORKING TOGETHER WORKS !
http://www.eeespec.org/unupen/members.htm
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UNUPEN: Opportunities for Partnership
UK – Nigeria Universities Postgraduate Employability Network
 UNUPEN Network was established in June 2010
 UK and Nigerian Partners on EPA Project on the
development of postgraduate employability skills
“ …. The main aim of the Network is to promote and
facilitate interaction and exchange between UK and
Nigerian Universities in the area of graduate and postgraduate employability” ……
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UK – Nigeria Universities Postgraduate Employability Network
…. “Working to create a research community in the
area of PG employability, by developing interactions
between the UK-Nigeria university research community
and industrial groups” …..
How?
a. Facilitate the sharing of research results, experience, best
practice and insights;
b. Promote mobility between academe, universities and
industry.
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WORKING WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS
 The Network works with others in the University, Industry,
Government and voluntary sectors
 Supporting the development of employability skills in
postgraduate students and to facilitate their entry into the
world of work”
… “Building links between UK and Nigerian Universities,
employers and the network of government, voluntary sector and
community organisations working on graduate employability”
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Summary of Aims and Objectives of the Network
 In realisation of the objectives of the EPA-3 Project
◦ Promotion and facilitation of interaction and exchanges
◦
◦
◦
◦
between UK and Nigeria Universities in the area of
employability;
Build links between UK and Nigerian Universities,
employers and government on employability;
Sharing of research results, experience and best practices;
Promotion of exchange visits between universities in both
countries
Organise Seminars and Workshops to promote
postgraduate employability
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UNUPEN - JUSTIFICATION
 Virtual community of UK-Nigeria Academic staff
with employability and entrepreneurship bias;
 Collaborative research (bidding, execution &
dissemination of results);
 Capacity building for the proposed Departments of
Entrepreneurships to be established in Nigerian
Universities
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UNUPEN – THE FUTURE
 Sustaining work of UNUPEN through partnership with stake-
holders (Co-hosting Seminars and Workshops in Nigeria &UK);
 Network will provide mentoring support for Nigerian Postgraduate
students studying in the UK;
 Support from Key Stakeholders in Nigeria (such as NUC, ACU,
PTDF, ETF, etc.)
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Current Membership and Activities
 Members include academics from UK and Nigerian
Universities (currently drawn from 6 UK Universities and 8
Nigerian Universities)
http://www.eeespec.org/unupen/members.htm
Activities
 Organises events such as seminars, workshops and
conferences to promote discussion and dissemination of
research in this field (using mostly electronic
communications),
 Providing other opportunities for dissemination and debate
on this very important agenda
 Mentoring Nigerian Students studying in the UK
 …….. ETC ……
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Conclusions - Postgraduate Employability in Nigeria
• Nigerian Businesses facing the same global challenges:
uncertain demand, volatile economy, world-wide competition
for talent and income, managing uncertainty and risk ….
• Challenging Global Economic Climate:
- Requires an entrepreneurial response
• Nigerian Government trying to develop Entrepreneurship:
establishment of Entrepreneurship Departments in each
University; …. But Knowledge economy with graduate and
postgraduate knowledge exchange key to national growth ….
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… Framework for Developing Entrepreneurial Postgraduates
UNIVERSITIES
• Top level leadership by VC’s… providing visible leadership...
• Academics … take ownership, enable curriculum change ...
• PG Students ….. value learning experiences ….
BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY (and other Employers)
• Businesses … be fully involved to enrich student learning …
• Industry …. develop effective in-course industrial training …
NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT:
• Better funding … recognise importance University education
• Employability … invest in employability development …
• Tougher regulation & Standards …. Address technical skills
gaps in specific fields of HE, ensure tougher regulations ..
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EXAMPLES OF WHAT UNIVERSITIES ARE DOING
 TIME IN INDUSTRY AS INTEGRAL PART OF DEGREE
 SANDWICH (Thin or thick Sandwich Programmes)
 ATTACHMENT (Industrial Placements)
 ENTREPRENEURIAL COURSES/MODULES
 COMPULSORY ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES (e.g. Core)
 RUNNING BUSINESSES (Business start-ups)
 SKILLS TRAINING (Professional mentoring by entrepreneurs)
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……. NIGERIA SPECIFIC ISSUES

JOB CREATION ESSENTIAL
 GOVERNMENTS NOT COPING
 PRIVATE SECTOR STILL UNDER-DEVELOPED
 GRADUATES MUST BE SEEN AS POTENTIAL
CREATORS OF EMPLOYMENT
 NEED TO CHANGE FROM JOB-SEEKING MINDSET &
INCULCATE JOB CREATION SKILLS
 HELPING WITH FINANCING START UPS
 INVESTING IN INNOVATION HUBS (SCIENCE PARKS)
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University of Greenwich
THANK YOU
The End …
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