The Federal Government is exploring a Transnational Education (TNE) partnership with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU), Pennsylvania, United States, to strengthen practical Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Nigerian universities.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, led a Nigerian delegation to the university, where he held discussions with its President, Dr. Christopher M. Reber, and other senior officials on opportunities for academic and institutional collaboration.
According to Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser on Media and Communications in a Statement, the visit, ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81), was part of efforts by the Federal Ministry of Education to connect Nigeria’s higher education system with international expertise and innovative approaches capable of equipping students with practical and technical skills required in the global economy.
During the visit, Alausa toured HU’s hands-on STEM laboratories and applied learning facilities, where students demonstrated practical applications of their training in advanced manufacturing and robotics, cybersecurity, data analytics, biotechnology, health sciences and interactive media.
The demonstrations offered the Nigerian delegation an insight into an education model that combines classroom instruction with experimentation, research, technology and problem-solving.
Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education was placing greater emphasis on TNE as a mechanism for developing structured academic linkages between Nigerian universities and reputable institutions abroad.
Nigeria, through the National Universities Commission (NUC), has established a TNE framework covering joint, twinning and articulation programmes, branch campuses, online and blended learning, franchised programmes, joint academic and research programmes, as well as faculty and student exchange and mobility.
The minister stressed that TNE should go beyond access to foreign qualifications, saying well-structured international education partnerships could promote knowledge exchange, research and innovation, faculty development, technology transfer and stronger university-industry linkages.
He said areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, robotics, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and health sciences could help Nigerian universities improve laboratory-based learning, strengthen faculty expertise and expand research programmes.
According to him, such partnerships could also help produce graduates with skills better aligned with industry requirements and the demands of the digital economy.
Alausa also interacted with Nigerian and other African students at Harrisburg University, emphasising the importance of maintaining strong academic and cultural links between African students and institutions.
The interaction also reflected the theme of the African Cultural Festival (ACF) 2026, “The Great Reunion: Culture, Education, and Collaboration,” which promotes education, cultural exchange and shared learning as tools for strengthening connections among Africans.
Those present included HU’s Chief Strategy Officer, David Clickner; Department Chair, Department of Manufacturing Systems, Richard Pitts Jr.; Executive Director, Strategic Healthcare Initiative, Dr. Luanne Reese Hutchinson; Wole Adeniyi of the African Cultural Festival; and Nigerian and other African students of the university.
The minister said the Federal Government would continue to pursue strategic international academic partnerships capable of delivering tangible benefits to Nigerian students and universities, particularly in practical skills, research, innovation and technology.
He added that, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry would continue to prioritise education, skills development and innovation as key drivers of national development.
