The number of international students enrolled in Irish higher education reached a new record high in the 2023/24 academic year. The total number of foreign students reached 40,400, passing the 40,000-student benchmark for the first time and representing a 15% increase over the previous year.
This compares to just under 30,000 in 2019/20, the last year before the onset of COVID-19. The same pattern is playing out in Ireland’s key ELT sector, where total enrolment and student weeks have also surpassed pre-pandemic levels. English Education Ireland reports that 128,300 students were enrolled in English language learning programmes in 2023, for a total of 899,220 student weeks delivered.
The latest higher education data comes from Ireland’s Higher Education Authority (HEA), which provides an annual update with detailed observations on international student trends.
The HEA reports that, while foreign enrolments in Ireland have historically been weighted toward undergraduate studies, that gap has closed since 2020/21. As of 2023/24, enrolments were split roughly equally between undergraduate and graduate programmes, with the latter showing the strongest growth year-over-year. Between 2022/23 and 2023/24 alone, the number of foreign students in Irish graduate programmes grew by 24% (from 15,725 to 19,505) whereas the number in undergraduate studies increased by less than 8% over the same period.
Where are students coming from?
India surged to the top of the table of leading sending markets for Irish higher education in 2023/24. There were just over 7,000 Indian students enrolled that year, marking nearly a +50% increase over the year before and accounting for a significant percentage of overall growth for Irish universities.
All other top sending countries (except for Germany) saw year-over-year growth of +11% or less in 2023/24. Rounding out the top sending markets were the United States (5,655, +11%), China (4,405, +11%), the UK (essentially flat at 3,110 students), Canada (1,980, +2%), and Germany (1,210, +15%).
The significant uptick in Indian student numbers is noteworthy, in part because of the disruption caused by new policy settings in other leading destinations – notably Australia, Canada, and the UK – throughout 2024. Many observers are reporting resulting shifts in student demand away from the Big Four destinations and in favour of alternate study destinations in Europe and Asia. The latest HEA data would suggest that Ireland is one such beneficiary.
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In 2023/24, the top fields of study for foreign students in Ireland (using the “Isced Broad Field of Study” classifications provided by HEA) are health and welfare; business, administration, and law; arts and humanities; information and communication technologies; engineering, manufacturing, and construction; and natural sciences, mathematics, and statistics.
Main economic sectors: Rubber processing; cultivation of tea, coconuts, tobacco, and other agricultural products; tourism; clothing and textiles; and mining.
Geography: Sri Lanka is an island nation in South Asia, south of India.
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Official languages: Sinhala (spoken in the southern, western and central parts of the country), and Tamil (northern and eastern parts of the island).
Language of instruction: English is introduced alongside official Sri Lankan languages at kindergarten level and then incorporated consistently from Grade 1 in the state school system. In international schools it is the main medium of instruction. The Ministry of Education considers schools that offer all subjects in English to be “English-medium schools.” Those that offer only some subjects in English are termed “bilingual schools.” At the university level, about 80% of courses – especially in STEM – are only taught in English.
Tertiary enrolment rate: 21% (2023)
Literacy rate: 92%, one of the highest in Asia
English language proficiency: Low, according to the EF Proficiency Index
Religions: Majority Buddhist, with 13% percent Hindu, 10% Muslim, and 7% Christian.
Economy: The economy grew by 5% in 2024 – the highest rate in seven years – following a prolonged economic crisis. That expansion beat an Asian Development Bank forecast of 2.4% growth for 2024, helped along by a debt restructuring plan with the International Monetary Fund. Growth was driven by a rebound in the industrial sector – particularly in construction, food and beverage manufacturing, and tourism. Inflation decreased to negative territory. While consumer confidence has been rising, food insecurity is still an issue for many families.
Outbound mobility
Sri Lanka is an increasingly important source of students for institutions all over the world, and it stands out as a hotspot of transnational partnerships, especially with UK universities.
In terms of outbound mobility, the number of Sri Lankan students in Australia grew by 41% between 2019 and 2024 to 19,000. Canada saw a massive jump – 443% more Sri Lankans were studying in Canadian programmes in 2023 than in 2019, for a total of 8,075.
The UK welcomed 5,500 Sri Lankan students in 2022/23 – up by 84% over the previous year and placing Sri Lanka just outside the Top 10 markets for UK universities (#11). Sri Lanka was the fastest growing major market for the UK in 2022/23.
Growth has been more moderate in the US. The 3,420 Sri Lankans in US higher education in 2023/24 represents a 7% increase over 2019.
Japan and Malaysia also host several thousand Sri Lankan students, and China is a major player as well. In April 2024, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr Qi Zhenhong, spoke at a ceremony awarding scholarships to Sri Lankan students at the Chinese embassy in Colombo: “Currently, over 1,200 Sri Lankan students go to China to study with full scholarships, one-time scholarships, and participate in short-term trainings every year.”
Sri Lankan governments are perennially challenged to balance relations with regional powerhouses India and China. There has been growing concern in the country about the scale of Chinese investments and loans to Sri Lanka, leaving the country vulnerable to Chinese influence and power.
Government supports transnational education
Higher education capacity in Sri Lanka is very limited. There are 18 state universities that offer free tuition and residence, and over 350,000 Sri Lankan students participate in A/Level examinations to try to gain entrance. In 2022, of the 172,000 students eligible for acceptance to a state university, only 42,000 students secured admission.
Overcapacity in the public system has led to the rise of private universities. There are now 27 private universities awarding degrees. They can enrol up to 60,000 students – which represents a good deal more capacity than state universities.
The government has made it a priority to expand tertiary access to Sri Lankans – and to encourage more Sri Lankans to remain at home for university studies to avoid brain drain. It actively invites foreign institutions to partner with Sri Lankan universities in offering joint degrees and other collaborative activities. Of the thousands of Sri Lankans enrolled in private universities in their country, a large proportion are studying under a transnational education (TNE) model.
The Sri Lankan government is especially open to foreign universities offering medicine, engineering, business, finance, IT, and AI programmes.
Branch campuses just getting going
The UK is a major player in TNE in Sri Lanka – as it is in so many other countries. Sri Lankan students make up 10% of all UK TNE enrolments, making Sri Lanka the UK’s second largest TNE market. Interestingly, those enrolments are through UK/Sri Lankan partnerships, not through branch campuses. Of Sri Lankans enrolled in UK TNE, 92% are studying through collaborative provision and 8% are studying via distance/online, according to the British Council.
Forty-four UK institutions have TNE agreements with Sri Lankan universities, as do 22 Australian universities. The UK enrols many more Sri Lankan students than Australia via TNE (over 50,000 versus just over 3,000 in 2022/23, respectively).
UK TNE enrolments in Sri Lanka, 2017/18 to 2022/23. Source: British Council
As for branch campuses, there are less than a handful in Sri Lanka – so far. At the end of 2024, Perth-based Curtin University launched a campus in Colombo, consisting of purpose-built facilities at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT). Curtin plans to expand the programmes it has been offering for years to Sri Lankan students through other forms of TNE (engineering, computer science, and business studies) to include artificial intelligence, health, and humanities-related subjects.
Curtin University Colombo will also recruit students from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives, and it is set up to allow its students to transfer to Curtin’s other campuses in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, and Mauritius.
Curtin is the second Perth-based university to open a branch campus in Colombo. Edith Cowan University launched its campus in 2023 and offers programmes in biomedical science, cyber security, commerce, and more.
India and Sri Lanka have close economic and security ties, and India’s top-ranked engineering institute, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), was approved to open a branch campus in Kandy in 2024 (it hasn’t opened yet).
The growing importance of TNE
Sri Lanka has struggled for years with brain drain. It offers free education until the end of high school, but capacity issues in the tertiary system means the Sri Lankan government is not reaping ROI from its students given that so many either fail to gain entrance to a domestic university or leave the country for study abroad, often with a goal of permanent residency in the host country. According to a 2021 Institute for Health Policy Opinion Tracker Survey, 1 in 16 Sri Lankans had plans to migrate, and most of those wanting to leave are young people.
As Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror reports:
“While about 48 percent of the age group of 18-29 years want to leave the country, about 53 percent of degree holders and 45 percent of A/Level qualification holders desire to migrate. Since the ‘educated youth’ represent the future workforce of a country and are crucial for its long-term progress, increased labour migration has posed a new threat to the country’s development.”
Push factors for Sri Lankan students include corruption, poor job prospects, and low wages.
TNE is an exciting prospect for many Sri Lankan students because it is more affordable and confers a high-quality degree. But a fractured political environment in Sri Lanka and still-fragile economic conditions must greatly improve if more Sri Lankan graduates are to decide to stay in their country to work.
For now, Sri Lankans are tempted by the prospect they see every day on billboards in their city to start their studies at home then move abroad. Last year, in Canada’s Globe and Mail. author Randy Boyagoda wrote:
“’Start in Sri Lanka, finish in Australia!’ These were phrases from just two of the many, many billboards advertising opportunities for international higher education that I saw on Sri Lankan highways and throughout Colombo. I also drove past buildings that housed local offices for overseas universities, and for international university consortiums with local campuses, and for professional agencies promising assistance for students hoping to study in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the U.K., Belarus, and yes, Canada. While not nearly as large a source country for international university students as India or China, Sri Lanka clearly was a place of interest in this massive global business.”
Just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President on 20 January 2025, President Biden’s administration has issued a “final rule” about the administration of the H-1B visa programme. The “H-1B Modernization Rule” will go into effect today, 17 January 2025.
The H1-B programme is the coveted visa route allowing US employers to temporarily hire international student graduates with specialised degrees at the bachelor’s level or higher. Applications for H1-B visas are invariably higher than the quota set for them each year. About 85,000 are allocated annually. Most students obtaining an H1-B visa are hired for jobs in technology, engineering, healthcare, financial services, specialised businesses, and education (including academia).
What’s new for the H1-B?
The government press release notes that the H-1B Modernization Rule will “provide greater benefits and flexibilities for U.S. employers and specialty occupation workers, helping to meet U.S. labor needs.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Ur M. Jaddou said:
“The H-1B program was created by Congress in 1990, and there’s no question it needed to be modernized to support our nation’s growing economy. The changes made in today’s final rule will ensure that U.S. employers can hire the highly skilled workers they need to grow and innovate while enhancing the integrity of the program.”
The Rule has been set up in a way that it would be complicated for the incoming president to undo. As global legal firm Mayer-Brown notes:
“A president can easily rescind, modify, or replace executive orders and administrative policies without requiring public input or a lengthy procedural process. However, regulations, such as the H-1B Modernization Rule, are formal rules created by federal agencies that have the force of law and require agencies to go through a formal rulemaking process to make changes.”
Implications for international students
For international students, a few of the most important changes are:
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More flexibility around around the degrees that make graduates eligible for an H-1B visa. Previously, degrees had to be “directly related” to the job an international graduate wanted to hold. The problem there was that a candidate could hold a degree – say an interdisciplinary degree – that would be perfect for the job requirements but because the degree was not “directly” linked to the “job,” it excluded the candidate from eligibility.
Now, USCIS has changed the language to “in a directly related specific specialty,” and defined “directly related” as meaning there is a “logical connection” between the degree (or its equivalent) and the “duties of the position.” This sounds confusing (it is) but suffice to say that the changed language is intended to allow a wider range of applicants to be eligible for the HI-B because “direct” refers to niche tasks within a job rather than the job itself.
Immigration Impact elaborates:
“USCIS specifies in the regulation that there could be a ‘range of qualifying degree fields’ if each field is ‘directly related to the duties of the position.’ USCIS also addressed that it was not focusing on degree titles and would consider whether the noncitizen’s ‘actual course of study is directly related to the duties of the position.’”
While this change sounds promising at first bounce, there are some experts who worry about how officials reviewing applications will determine a “logical connection” and that decisions may be made subjectively. However, the new rule does reflect the nuanced roles that employers now need to fill – roles that don’t necessarily correspond to a specific degree – and is strategically sound as a result.
More time for international graduates on an F-1 visa to transition to an H1-B visa. Previously, F-1 visa holders sometimes – through no fault of their own – saw their immigration status lapse because of delays in processing their H1-B petition. Most F-1 students complete their programmes or related Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the spring or summer. Previously, they only had 60 days to maintain their legal status. If their H1-B petition was not processed by October 1, those students would have to leave the US. Now, the “gap” between the F-1 and H1-B visa has been extended to April 1. The formal USCIS language for this rule is the “automatic ‘cap-gap’ extension” has been “codified.”
New eligibility for entrepreneurs. If an international student/worker has a “controlling interest” in their own business (i.e., owns at least 50% of it), they are now eligible for H1-B status “subject to reasonable conditions.” However, the maximum validity period for this category of H-1B validity is 18 months for the first visa as well as the first extension of it. Other H-1B visas’ validity is up to three years.
An expansion of the type of non-profit and governmental organisations that are exempt from the annual caps on H-1B visas. Those organisations used to have to prove their “primary mission” was research, but now they must only prove that research is “one of their fundamental activities.”
Strengthened integrity
As well as its intention to make it easier for American employers to hire talented foreign workers, the “final rule” affecting the H1-B programme also includes provisions for immigration authorities to apply greater scrutiny to employers and workers. For example, immigration authorities will check that the “petitioner” (i.e., the employer) has a “bona fide” (genuine) job opening for the H1-B worker and doesn’t just anticipate having one.
There are several other stipulations, but they all amount to employers needing to submit more documentation and to be ready for site visits from immigration authorities at any time. If inaccurate information is provided by the employer or if anything else seems suspect, USCIS will impose stiff penalties.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said:
“American businesses rely on the H-1B visa program for the recruitment of highly skilled talent, benefitting communities across the country. These improvements to the program provide employers with greater flexibility to hire global talent, boost our economic competitiveness, and allow highly skilled workers to continue to advance American innovation.”
Good news for J-1 students as well
In December, the State Department recently made it easier for some J-1 visa holders (those on work/study exchange programmes) to remain in the U.S. by narrowing the list of countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List to 45 countries.
Students from those 45 countries must return home for a period of two years before applying for another US visa because their countries are deemed to have a pressing need for their specialised skills (e.g., Engineering). The intention is to reduce brain drain from developing countries.
The way the current list has been devised, countries with a per capita GDP under US$7,500 or those where the rate of outbound migration is notably high are considered as likely to benefit from its students (on J-1 visas) returning to work for at least two years.
India and China have been removed from the list – which is a major development given the number of students from those countries studying in the US. The number of Chinese students on J-1 visas grew by 120% in 2023 compared with a 30% drop in Chinese on F-1 visas. Similarly, there was growth of 122% for Indians on J-1 visas (compared with a 43% rise in those on F-1 visas).
Other countries that have been removed are Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the UAE.
What will happen when President-elect Trump is sworn in on 20 January?
There is a great deal of uncertainty about what immigration policies governing highly skilled foreign workers and STEM students will look like under President-elect Trump. This time round, Trump is highly influenced and supported by the high-tech community in the US, including Tesla/X’s Elon Musk. Musk is in favour of the H-1B programme but believes it needs reforms, including raising the minimum salary for H-1B visa holders and increasing the cost employers must pay for hiring and retaining H-1B workers.
But a significant proportion of other powerful Republicans oppose the H-1B programme, and they will mount a vigorous opposition to Musk’s position.
Whatever happens, research has shown that the H-1B programme drives innovation in the US and creates – rather than takes away – jobs for American citizens. Writing in the January 2025 issue of The Atlantic, Rogé Karma explains:
“Most careful experimental studies on the program find that, overall, it has neutral or positive effects on the employment prospects and wages of native-born workers. Companies that receive H-1B visas tend to grow faster than companies that don’t—likely because many of them really are hiring foreign workers whose skills they need—and thus often end up employing more native workers overall. Employers receiving H-1B visas also tend to develop new products and technologies at higher rates, which helps create new jobs.”
Despite the challenges, we want to reassure students that Australia continues to be one of the most welcoming and rewarding destinations for international education.”
Emphasise your institution’s key strengths
The damage that chaotic immigration environments have inflicted on Australia and Canada’s appeal overseas has naturally been difficult for many higher education institutions to handle. But our interviewees said there are strategies that can help.
Mr Ness said Humber is placing much more emphasis on institutional branding:
“It’s sometimes hard to remember that there are still many students who want to come and study in Canada. Our message is more ‘Choose Humber’ than ‘Choose Canada,’ simply because of the different dynamics present with respect to competition for enrolments now.”
Ms Hummel said that reminding students that the Canadian study and cultural experience remains excellent is both an honest and productive endeavour:
“The reasons students wanted to study at Canadian universities in the past are still true today. Canadian universities are globally recognised for academic excellence and have been an affordable option for families making them extremely good value. Our communities are safe, diverse, and welcoming of new cultures. The policy environment has been disruptive, there is no doubt of this, but the focus of the changes have been to continue to attract the ‘best and the brightest’ to study in our universities, work and live in our communities, and take that experience with them whatever the next stage in their journey is. The Canadian academic experience, cultural experience, and work experience has always been and continues to be an asset.”
Ms Hummel’s points suggest that emphasising more selective visa review processes may in fact increase the attractiveness of study in Canada for top prospects who have a good chance of being approved for a visa. Being approved when it’s clear that many other students are not can feel like a considerable achievement.
Sectoral cooperation
In Canada, IDP Education launched a video campaign at the end of last year that features international students speaking about why they love studying in Canada and at their institution. The sector-wide effort, entitled “There’s a future for you in Canada!” offers a powerful reminder of why Canada is such a good option for study abroad. The following video featuring students from Thompson Rivers University is just one of many on the campaign homepage.
Lean in and focus on the long term
We asked our interviewees: “What is the single most important thing institutions can do to maintain branding and trust in overseas markets amid more restrictive national immigration policies?”
Mr Ness advised adopting a long-term perspective:
“Remain present in the sending countries. We have already seen cases where institutions are forbidding travel, reducing in-country representation, etc. That is exactly the wrong move. Given major budget challenges, the scale of what we’ve been doing has to be reduced, but eliminating it creates a much deeper hole to climb out of once the tides turn, and they will definitely turn at some point.”
Ms Hummel said that transparency is key:
“Understanding your institutional identity and values is always paramount but never more critical than in times of crisis. Lean into who you are. Being clear and honest with your offerings (e.g., academic, location, housing, co-op, financial) ensures that the students you enrol are the right students for your institution. When the fit is right, students are engaged in class, successful in their studies and become ambassadors of the institution because of their experience – right from the time they first searched for a university and connected with you through the admissions process.”
Mr Guimaraes said that showcasing current and former students’ success is a wise move:
“At ECA, we have invested in both digital and in-person outreach, such as virtual info sessions, webinars, and educational fairs, to show prospective students that Australia – and our institution – remains a leading choice. Sharing success stories of our students’ employability and internship placements helps showcase the tangible benefits of studying with us, reinforcing trust and loyalty.”
Enhance the offer
Ms Hummel noted that it is a good time to consider what can be done to make students’ experience even better:
“Recognising that it is riskier than it has been in the past to make an application to Canada, we want to ensure our students feel supported throughout. We have had support from our Executive Leadership team and have been able to take quick action to address the main concerns students are facing when considering coming to Canada, e.g., finances, housing, and visa support.
Last cycle, we expanded funding in our Inspiring Lives Scholarship and launched our Stay Golden Program which addresses scholarship and housing concerns throughout a student’s time at Laurier. We are also committed to a tuition guarantee so students feel supported and have stable and predictable financial expectations around tuition beyond first year.”
Like Laurier, ECA has looked for ways to enhance their student experience. They introduced the ECA Employability Advantage programme, which Mr Guimaraes says “helps students gain job-ready skills, build confidence, and acquire real-world experience, ensuring they are prepared for a successful career immediately after graduation.”
Key takeaways
Challenging times in industries disrupt complacency and encourage innovation. As Humber’s Mr Ness observed, the current moment is just that – current – and it too shall pass. The truth is that Australia and Canada can ill afford to fall behind in the global race for international talent.
William Flanagan, president of the University of Alberta, wrote last year in the Globe and Mail that Canada sits below many advanced economies in terms of the number of people with advanced degrees. And yet graduate scholarship funding has been declining, and caps on the number of international students are already forcing programme and campus closures.
Mr Flanagan says that if trends persist, it won’t just be international students who choose to study elsewhere. It will also be Canadian students:
“As we confront economic uncertainty and navigate rapidly evolving industries, our reliance on the skills and ideas emerging from Canadian universities will only grow. University-based research is not just a piece of the puzzle; it is a cornerstone in providing the Canadian economy with the talent required to thrive globally. Without substantial federal support, we face an inevitable brain drain and lost economic opportunities.”
Likewise, in Australia, overzealous immigration policies are jeopardising economic growth. Writing in The Interpreter, Intifar Chowdhury explains:
“The economic costs of [Australia’s significant exodus of permanent visa holders in 2024] have been staggering. Research warns if the currently debated international student cap bill passes, it may jeopardise 20,000 jobs annually. With an ageing population and critical workforce shortages, these policies are not just short-sighted, they’re self-defeating.”
Ms Chowdhury adds:
“To remain competitive, Australia needs to forego punitive migration caps and instead focus on increasing public housing, infrastructure, and policies that treat migrants as partners in prosperity rather than temporary inconveniences.”
Soon enough, the implications of drastically reducing international student numbers will be clear in Australia and Canada. Future governments may well agree with Ms Chowdhury that a better path forward is to invest in public infrastructure – and increase funding for higher education. A better-managed intake of international students is wise, but poorly targeted, blanket strategies imperiling global competitiveness will not stand the test of time.
If you had to think of adjectives to describe the international education landscape in 2024, what would they be? Words that come to mind for educators in Australia and Canada might be:
Those are natural responses given that staff at many Australian and Canadian post-secondary institutions struggled with their governments’ approach to immigration and sector regulation. Many developments were simply beyond educators’ control.
As we enter 2025, however, it might be helpful (and healthy) to think about what can be controlled. What strategies can improve communications with international students who have lost trust in a study abroad destination? What messaging is both effective and authentic? What sector-wide efforts might help all institutions to reassure students?
Today, we focus on institutional responses to tightened government policies, with thanks to Andrew Ness, the former dean of international education at Humber College (Canada); Julie Hummel, executive director, international at Wilfred Laurier University (Canada); and Rodrigo Guimaraes, vice president, student acquisition at ECA (Australia) for their contributions.
While our focus is on Australia and Canada, the article is valuable for institutions wherever they are as it is essentially about smart business practices.
Personalisation, elevated customer service, and transparency
If there was ever a time to review corporate communications, it is now. Students are understandably rattled by the steady stream of new rules affecting their ability to study and work in preferred destinations. Trust may be low, and emotions may be running high.
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Through your website and CRM systems, you can gather essential information about prospective students that allows you to personalise interactions with them. Provide them with specific information on what they have indicated they are interested in. Answer all questions as soon as possible. Ask students if they have received the information they are looking for. Then ask them if there is any other help they need.
It’s key to augment the efficiency of machine automation with human assistance. Students should be invited to speak with an admissions staff member or a student ambassador. Virtual Q&A sessions and campus tours are a great idea for students to visualise being on your campus – as distinct from studying in a country whose immigration policies may be worrying students.
Andrew Ness, the former dean of international education at Canada’s Humber College, said his team helped students concerned about immigration changes last year in several ways:
“We held frequent – often weekly – town halls for current and prospective students. First-person question and answer sessions attracted attendance of between 150 and 600 students. Students were very grateful for the immediate access to staff, including me.
Regarding immigration policy uncertainty, the key message we imparted was: ‘If we haven’t told you, it’s because we don’t know the answers yet, but as soon as we know, we’ll tell you using all available messaging channels.’
Strategies to build trust
An article in MIT Sloan Management Review, “Speaking to customers in uncertain times,” notes that courteous, thoughtful communications go a long way:
“[Establish] individual connections using the word “I” [as opposed to the more corporate “we”]; and convey care through warm words and the generous use of ‘thank you,’ to ease customer anxiety and foster customer confidence.”
For Australian and Canadian institutions, an important elaboration might be “Thank you for your patience as we await further guidance from the government.”
The MIT Review advises specificity in communications, using the example of a customer wondering where their order is:
“Front-line employees who use words that describe the customer’s interest in concrete, specific terms signal that they are genuinely listening. For example, when a customer reaches a call center to inquire about her order’s delivery, she’s more satisfied when she hears, ‘Your package will be at your doorstep next Wednesday,’ rather than, ‘Your order will be there next week.’ A package is more concrete than an order, a doorstep is more concrete than ‘there,’ and Wednesday is more concrete than next week.”
In our context, for example, rather than “An admissions counsellor will be in touch with you later this week,” try: “Jane Norton, our admissions counsellor, is eager to chat with you on Friday – what works best for you: a phone call, a text conversation, or email?”
Institutional coordination and unified messaging
Mr Ness said that there is a single source of information used across multiple teams at Humber to respond to messages on the website, via email, and in person. “We ensure everyone is delivering the most up-to-date, correct information possible.”
Julie Hummel, executive director, international at Wilfred Laurier University in Canada, said her university also decided to strengthen internal systems and collaboration:
“Recognising there was little we can do to influence policy change, our focus turned to reacting in a proactive way. We looked inward, and as is always the case at Laurier, focused on the student. All our teams at Laurier – recruitment, admissions, student finance, immigration advising, student support, etc. – have worked more closely together than ever before to ensure that we are supporting prospective students and applicants throughout their application journey.”
Rodrigo Guimaraes, vice president, student acquisition at ECA, a firm that works with Australian universities to assist in recruitment, said:
“At ECA we provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to ensure our students are well prepared [for immigration rules and processes]. We have invested in and established a more robust Genuine Student (GS) Team, a group of professionals with over a decade of experience. Their expertise has been crucial in navigating the complexities of the visa process and evolving regulations, resulting in a significant reduction in visa refusal rates. This team ensures that student applications are fully compliant with the latest requirements, increasing their chances of success.
In addition, we’ve enhanced communication with our students and agents by hosting regular information sessions and monthly webinars, ensuring they remain informed and confident throughout the process.
Despite the challenges, we want to reassure students that Australia continues to be one of the most welcoming and rewarding destinations for international education.”
Emphasise your institution’s key strengths
The damage that chaotic immigration environments have inflicted on Australia and Canada’s appeal overseas has naturally been difficult for many higher education institutions to handle. But our interviewees said there are strategies that can help.
Mr Ness said Humber is placing much more emphasis on institutional branding:
“It’s sometimes hard to remember that there are still many students who want to come and study in Canada. Our message is more ‘Choose Humber’ than ‘Choose Canada,’ simply because of the different dynamics present with respect to competition for enrolments now.”
Ms Hummel said that reminding students that the Canadian study and cultural experience remains excellent is both an honest and productive endeavour:
“The reasons students wanted to study at Canadian universities in the past are still true today. Canadian universities are globally recognised for academic excellence and have been an affordable option for families making them extremely good value. Our communities are safe, diverse, and welcoming of new cultures. The policy environment has been disruptive, there is no doubt of this, but the focus of the changes have been to continue to attract the ‘best and the brightest’ to study in our universities, work and live in our communities, and take that experience with them whatever the next stage in their journey is. The Canadian academic experience, cultural experience, and work experience has always been and continues to be an asset.”
Ms Hummel’s points suggest that emphasising more selective visa review processes may in fact increase the attractiveness of study in Canada for top prospects who have a good chance of being approved for a visa. Being approved when it’s clear that many other students are not can feel like a considerable achievement.
Sectoral cooperation
In Canada, IDP Education launched a video campaign at the end of last year that features international students speaking about why they love studying in Canada and at their institution. The sector-wide effort, entitled “There’s a future for you in Canada!” offers a powerful reminder of why Canada is such a good option for study abroad. The following video featuring students from Thompson Rivers University is just one of many on the campaign homepage.
Lean in and focus on the long term
We asked our interviewees: “What is the single most important thing institutions can do to maintain branding and trust in overseas markets amid more restrictive national immigration policies?”
Mr Ness advised adopting a long-term perspective:
“Remain present in the sending countries. We have already seen cases where institutions are forbidding travel, reducing in-country representation, etc. That is exactly the wrong move. Given major budget challenges, the scale of what we’ve been doing has to be reduced, but eliminating it creates a much deeper hole to climb out of once the tides turn, and they will definitely turn at some point.”
Ms Hummel said that transparency is key:
“Understanding your institutional identity and values is always paramount but never more critical than in times of crisis. Lean into who you are. Being clear and honest with your offerings (e.g., academic, location, housing, co-op, financial) ensures that the students you enrol are the right students for your institution. When the fit is right, students are engaged in class, successful in their studies and become ambassadors of the institution because of their experience – right from the time they first searched for a university and connected with you through the admissions process.”
Mr Guimaraes said that showcasing current and former students’ success is a wise move:
“At ECA, we have invested in both digital and in-person outreach, such as virtual info sessions, webinars, and educational fairs, to show prospective students that Australia – and our institution – remains a leading choice. Sharing success stories of our students’ employability and internship placements helps showcase the tangible benefits of studying with us, reinforcing trust and loyalty.”
Enhance the offer
Ms Hummel noted that it is a good time to consider what can be done to make students’ experience even better:
“Recognising that it is riskier than it has been in the past to make an application to Canada, we want to ensure our students feel supported throughout. We have had support from our Executive Leadership team and have been able to take quick action to address the main concerns students are facing when considering coming to Canada, e.g., finances, housing, and visa support.
Last cycle, we expanded funding in our Inspiring Lives Scholarship and launched our Stay Golden Program which addresses scholarship and housing concerns throughout a student’s time at Laurier. We are also committed to a tuition guarantee so students feel supported and have stable and predictable financial expectations around tuition beyond first year.”
Like Laurier, ECA has looked for ways to enhance their student experience. They introduced the ECA Employability Advantage programme, which Mr Guimaraes says “helps students gain job-ready skills, build confidence, and acquire real-world experience, ensuring they are prepared for a successful career immediately after graduation.”
Key takeaways
Challenging times in industries disrupt complacency and encourage innovation. As Humber’s Mr Ness observed, the current moment is just that – current – and it too shall pass. The truth is that Australia and Canada can ill afford to fall behind in the global race for international talent.
William Flanagan, president of the University of Alberta, wrote last year in the Globe and Mail that Canada sits below many advanced economies in terms of the number of people with advanced degrees. And yet graduate scholarship funding has been declining, and caps on the number of international students are already forcing programme and campus closures.
Mr Flanagan says that if trends persist, it won’t just be international students who choose to study elsewhere. It will also be Canadian students:
“As we confront economic uncertainty and navigate rapidly evolving industries, our reliance on the skills and ideas emerging from Canadian universities will only grow. University-based research is not just a piece of the puzzle; it is a cornerstone in providing the Canadian economy with the talent required to thrive globally. Without substantial federal support, we face an inevitable brain drain and lost economic opportunities.”
Likewise, in Australia, overzealous immigration policies are jeopardising economic growth. Writing in The Interpreter, Intifar Chowdhury explains:
“The economic costs of [Australia’s significant exodus of permanent visa holders in 2024] have been staggering. Research warns if the currently debated international student cap bill passes, it may jeopardise 20,000 jobs annually. With an ageing population and critical workforce shortages, these policies are not just short-sighted, they’re self-defeating.”
Ms Chowdhury adds:
“To remain competitive, Australia needs to forego punitive migration caps and instead focus on increasing public housing, infrastructure, and policies that treat migrants as partners in prosperity rather than temporary inconveniences.”
Soon enough, the implications of drastically reducing international student numbers will be clear in Australia and Canada. Future governments may well agree with Ms Chowdhury that a better path forward is to invest in public infrastructure – and increase funding for higher education. A better-managed intake of international students is wise, but poorly targeted, blanket strategies imperiling global competitiveness will not stand the test of time.
Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Education has mandated the State Ministry of Education to accept registration of students seeking enrollment in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) organize by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) without waiting to be cleared by the state branch of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS).
The committee chairman, Martins Achadu, gave the order during engagement with NAPPS stakeholders in Calabar Monday.
Achadu stated that what should be prioritize for now by the committee is to ensure that no child is deprived in the registration of WAEC to enable the child sit for the forthcoming examination because of crisis in NAPPS.
The committee asked the State Ministry of Education to allow proprietors of private schools go ahead with registration of students for WAEC without necessarily obtaining clearance from any of the NAPPS factions.
The lawmakers stated that arrangement is in top gear to convene another stakeholders meeting in two weeks time to enable the committee brainstorm with members of the Association and ensure that all the factions are merged together as one indivisible entity.
“To the Permanent Secretary, in the meantime do please liaise with the Ministry of Education and ensure that any private school coming to register for WAEC is allow to register, because as it stands now, we are taking both factions of the association to surgical room. They are undergoing proper surgery.
“Please allow everyone who who come to you for WAEC registration. Disregard this issue of NAPPS registration fee for now so that we don’t hurt ourselves because of NAPPS registration fee receipt and clearance.”
Also speaking, another member of the Committee and member representing Ikom I state constituency, Samuel Neji-Abang, called for calm and urged the warring factions to sheathe their sword pending the outcome of the Committee’s final report.
In his remarks, factional president of NAAPS in the state, Sir Godwin Okwu, chastised the immediate past Exco of the Association for leading the Association as if it were their private estate that is not accountable to members of the association.
Okwu urged the State Ministry of Education not to allow any of the factions of NAPPS collect levies from proprietors of schools on the ministry’s behalf but advised the ministry to directly collect levies meant for government by themselves during registration of students for the 2025 WASSCE.
“We had a leadership that spent whole nine years on the saddle with no statement of account despite levy collection and refusing to be accountable to members.
“The ministry might not know what we are passing through. We are not troublesome. We want to work with the ministry. If there is any information on what we should do, we will do to enable us work with the ministry and not these factions.”
But the factional leader of NAPPS in the state, Pastor Abraham Osok who reacted to the issue in a telephone conversation stated that even though he has chosen to reserve his comment on certain issues, he remain in charge as NAPPS president.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Owerri zone, has called on Nigerians, particularly, the vulnerable students to voice out against the Federal Government proposed policy to abolished Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) across public institution in the country.
They alleged that the proposed policy is a plot to killed public tertiary education in favour of Private schools largely own by political leaders.
The called was made by the Owerri zonal coordinator of ASUU, Prof Dennis Aribodor on behalf of the zone during a press conference held at ASUU-UNIZIK conference hall in Awka, on Saturday.
Prof Aribodor said the Union has urges the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the Federal House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to be wary of the potential consequences of abrogating the TETFUND.
He said for the last one-and-a-half decades, it has been the backbone of Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions, supporting infrastructural development, postgraduate training, and research capacity building.
He said the union stands against anything that would lead to the denigration or obliteration of TETFund as it observed with keen interest the ongoing debate on the review of the tax system in the country.
He said part of the bill proposed to end funding of the TETFUND by the year 2030 and thereafter cede the responsibilities to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND.
According to the zonal coordinator, the conference aimed at sensitizing and inviting all stakeholders for a patriotic action to save public tertiary education in Nigeria by rejecting the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 especially as it affects the abolishing of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
“Going back to history, the 1980s were a particularly difficult period for Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions
The economic downturn, compounded by the implementation of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of the Babangida Administration, masterminded by IMF and World Bank, led to cuts in public spending on education. Universities and other tertiary institutions were starved of resources, and lecturers were poorly paid. ASUU, recognizing that the future of Nigerian education was at stake, embarked on a series of strikes and negotiations with the government. Their demands were clear: improved funding for universities and education, respect for university autonomy, and provide better welfare for lecturers.
“During this period, ASUU played a key role in the development of what would later become the Education Tax Fund (ETF), now known as TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund). In January 1993, the Education Tax Act No7 of 1993 was promulgated. The Decree imposed a 2% tax on the assessable profits of all companies in Nigeria. This was a home grown solution to address issues of funding to rehabilitate decaying infrastructure, restore the lost glory of education and confidence in the system as well as consolidate the gains thereto; build capacity of teachers and lecturers; teacher development; development of prototype designs; etc.
“The Education Tax Act of No7 of 1993 mandated the Fund to operate as an Intervention Fund to all levels of Public Education (Federal, State and Local). This mandate lasted between 1999 to May 2011 when the ETF Act was repealed and replaced by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act., due to lapses and challenges in operating the Education Trust Fund. These lapses and challenges include that the ETF was overburdened and overstretched and could only render palliative support to all levels of public educational institutions in Nigeria and duplication of functions and mandate of other.
“Agencies set up after the ETF, such as Universal Basic Education (UBE). Education Tax Fund played significant role in funding education from primary to tertiary in Nigeria until the law was amended to focus the Fund to only tertiary education, thus changing the name to TETFund..
“Tetfund has since become one of ASUU’s most significant achievement channeling much needed resources into tertiary education system for infrastructure development, research, and teaching facilities.
The distribution ratio of of the Fund is 2:1:1 as between Universities, Polytechnics and College of Education. TETFund currently provides intervention to Two Hundred and Forty Four (244) public tertiary institutions in Nigeria which are 96 Universities, 72 Polytechnics and 76 Colleges of Education.
The break-down of these institutions is as follows: 49 Federal Universities, 47 State Universities, 34 Federal Polytechnics, 38 State polytechnics, 28 federal Colleges of Education and 48 State Colleges of Education. A tour of any campus of any public tertiary institution in Nigeria will bear eloquent testimonies to the establishment of TETFund.
“Federal and state-owned tertiary institutions are currently referred to as TETFund Institutions because most projects are funded from this interventionist agency and should not be killed through the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024.
“ASUU Owerri Zone has observed with keen interest the ongoing debate on the review of the tax system in the Nigeria, which is currently before the National Assembly.
“Arising from the tax bill is the proposed abrogation of Education Tax. ASUU is alarmed by this dangerous and unpatriotic aspect of the proposed new tax regime to wit: that the Education Tax, called Development Levy, used to bankroll TETFund’s programmes should be ceded to the newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“ASUU notes with serious concern Section 59(3) of the Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024 which specifically states that only 50% of the Development Levy would be made available to TETFund in 2025 and 2026 while NITDA, NASENI, and NELFUND would share the remaining percentages. TETFund will also receive “66⅔% in 2027, 2028 and 2029 years of assessment” but “0% in 2030 year of assessment and thereafter”. This is alarming and should not be allowed particularly when priority has not been given to funding public education through budgetary allocation by successive federal and state governments.
“To substantiate this, 7% was allocated to education as against 15% in the manifesto of APC (the party in power), and over 20% recommended by UNESCO. Education including tertiary education is a public good and should not be commercialized especially by persons that benefited most from public education.
The far-reaching consequence of the new tax system is that from 2030, all funds generated from the Development Levy would be passed to NELFUND.
“ASUU Owerri Zone finds this development not only worrisome but also inimical to our national development objective because of the potential danger it has to the survival of TETFund. While viewing TETFund as the backbone for infrastructural development, postgraduate training and research capacity building in Nigeria’s public tertiary institutions in the last fifteen (15) years, ASUU Owerri Zone is compelled by the circumstance to seriously observe that; *Taking any percentage out of the Education Tax (Development Levy) to service another agency not known to the TETFund Act 2011 is illegal and should not be allowed to stand;
“Giving zero allocation of Development Levy to TETFund as from 2030 is a technical way of killing the agency and public tertiary education; the purported admonishment that TETFund should seek innovative ways of generating its funds is spurious and ill-advised because, as a creation of an Act, the institution dies without the fund;
“Replacing TETFund with NELFUND is comparable to killing a parent to keep a newborn child alive; it is unethical and against the principle of natural justice;
“The impact of TETFund on the campus of every tertiary institution in Nigeria is beyond description; abrogating it will take public tertiary education many years back and undermine the modest gains in repositioning Nigerian universities for global reckoning and transformative development;
“Annual supports given to tertiary institutions by TETFund have substantially reduced industrial crises in many tertiary institutions; renovation of old facilities and provision of new ones and opportunities for staff development leading to career advancement have doused labour-related agitations on our campuses.
“TETFund impacts not only tertiary-level education, but also the secondary down to kindergarten; it directly and/or indirectly supports the production of quality teachers and different categories of support staff in the entire educational system; and *The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) borrowed from the Nigerian experience while some other African countries have recently visited to understudy TETFund; Nigeria should be improving on the operations and sustainability of the agency, and not planning to emasculate or abrogate it.
“ASUU Owerri Zone has resolved not to stand by and watch the denigration or obliteration of TETfund which represents the positive testament to our Union’s constructive engagements with Nigeria governments since 1992.
“It is our considered view that abrogating the TETFund Act 2011, by design or default, will be a great disservice not just to education but to Nigeria as a nation. As a result, ASUU Owerri Zone is urging all stakeholders in the Nigeria Education project particularly the National Assembly, especially the Senate President and the Speaker of House of Representatives, to do all within their capacity to protect TETFund from being abrogated under the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 and save the killing of public tertiary education, Prof Aribodor concluded.
It was gathered that ASUU Owerri Zone comprising Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Igbariam, Anambra State; Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State; Imo State University Owerri, Imo State, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State; and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
…As State Executive Council Approves Five New Executive Draft Bills for Legislative Consideration
Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has signed into law two landmark bills establishing the State University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa and the State College of Agriculture in Obubra.
The two laws, officially titled the Cross River State University of Education and Entrepreneurship Law 2024 and the Cross River State College of Agriculture Law 2024, were signed during the State Executive Council meeting held at the chambers of the Traditional Rulers’ Council in Calabar on Wednesday.
In his address, Governor Otu emphasized that the appointment of governing councils and principal officers for both institutions will be prioritized in the coming weeks. He commended the leadership and members of the State House of Assembly for their expeditious review and passage of the bills, noting their steadfast collaboration with the executive arm.
The new State University of Education and Entrepreneurship succeeds the former State College of Education, Akamkpa, while the College of Agriculture in Obubra transitions from being a campus of the University of Cross River State, Calabar.
The Clerk of the State Legislature, Mrs. Kate Ubi, Esq., and the Commissioner for Education, Senator Steven Odey, jointly presented the bills to Governor Otu for assent.
In addition to signing the two laws, the State Executive Council approved five executive draft bills for onward transmission to the State House of Assembly. These include: Cross River State Roads Fund Law, 2024; Cross River State Rural Access Roads Authority Law, 2024; Cross River State Lotteries and Gaming Agency Law, 2024; Cross River State Water User Association Law, 2024; as well as the Amendment of the Cross River State Counterpart Fund Law, 2024.
These draft bills, aimed at improving infrastructure, governance, and public services, are expected to undergo legislative review in the coming weeks.
Governor Otu expressed optimism that these legislative efforts would accelerate socio-economic development across the state.
The leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), is currently grappling with a crisis.over the distribution of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to higher institutions nationwide.
A faction of the Students body is accusing it National President, Comrade Lucky Emonefe and the Students Senate President, Comrade Babatunde Akinteye Afeez, of being selective in the distribution formula.
The faction has also passed a vote of no confidence on the two leaders.
The accusation was contained in a petition jointly signed by the Deputy Senate President, Dangote University of Science and Technology Wudil, Kano State, Comrade Huzaifa Sabo Usman, National ex-official, Comrade Anderson Chimezie Uwakwe of the Federal College of Land and Resources Technology Owerri, Imo State, Vice President Special Duties, Egbo Johnpaul Nnamchi, Enugu State College of Education, Comrade Gundu Mimidoo Joy, Public Relations Officer, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State, Abdulkaman Muhammad, Comrade Muhd Muazu, Mamuna Bello, Paul Edoh Gabriel, Kabiru Saminu, and Okafor Ernest Obinna made available to Journalists in Awka on Monday.
A copy of the petition was also sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Director General DSS Head Quarters Abuja, Inspector General of Police Headquarters Abuja, EFCC, ICPC, SSA to the President on Students Matters, Minister of Transportation, NANS Zonal Coordinators, NANS JCC Chairmen as well as all SUG Presidents, asking particularly, President Tinubu to urgently intervene to avoid break down of law and order and to save his political integrity in the country.
The petition read in part; His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Presdent of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Dear sir, Petition against unequal distribution of CNG buses by the President, National Association of Nigerian Students and a vote of no confidence on Lucky Emonefe and Babatunde Akinteye Afeez. On behalf of the Nigerian Students, we write to express our utmost indignation and disappointment at the egregious unequal distribution of the CNG buses recently donated to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
“This decision, made by the President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Comr. Lucky Emonofe in collaboration with the Senate President Comr. Babatunde Akinteye Afeez, is a flagrant disregard for the principles of equity, justice, and transparency.
“The buses meant to benefit all Nigerian students, have been selectively distributed leaving many students without access to this vital resources. This unequal distribution will inevitably lead to a shortage of transportation options within our campuses, causing undue hardship and economic challenges for Nigerian students.
“The economic implications of this unequal distribution cannot be overstated. Many students rely on affordable transportation to commute from campuses, and the shortage of this buses will only exacerbate the economic challenges facing Nigerian students. This will lead to increased costs for alternative transportation, which will further burden students who are already struggling to cope with the situation.
“Mr. President, we urge you to take immediate action by addressing this issue, as it will inevitably have far-reaching consequences on your political integrity. The unequal distribution of the buses will not only tarnish the image of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) but also undermine the trust and confidence of students in your leadership, particularly during these economically challenging time across the country.
“Furthermore, this incident will likely be perceived as a gross dereliction of duty by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) President and the Senate President, which will in turn reflect poorly on your administration commitment to transparency, accountability, and fairness. It is imperative to take decisive action to address this issue and restore the trust and confidence of students in the leadership of NANS.
“In view of the afore-mentioned fact, we request that you take the following actions; We demand a thorough investigation into the distribution process to identify those responsible for the unequal distribution of the buses. We call for the immediate redistribution of the buses to ensure that all students have equal access to this resource.We demand that the President and Senate President of NANS be held accountable for their actions and that appropriate disciplinary measures be taken due to shortage of this buses within campuses.
*From the foregoing, we hereby pass a Vote of no confidence on the duo of Lucky Emonefe and Babatunde Akinteye Afeez.8. We believe that it is your responsibility as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ensure that the resources meant for the benefit of all students are distributed fairly and transparently.
“We hope that you will take immediate action to address this issue and restore the trust of Nigerian students in the leadership of NANS.”
The Old Students Association of Government Secondary School, Akim Qua Town (GSSA Class of 2008), hosted a grand Reunion Dinner on Sunday, December 29, 2024. The event, which took place at the Boki Conference Hall, Vela Cruz Hotel, Fiekong Estate, Marian Road, brought together classmates to celebrate and rekindle bonds of friendship and unity.
Representing the interim Class President, Dr. Bassey Akaka, the BOT Chairman, Prince Charles Ekanem, emphasized the true essence of the reunion. He noted that while financial contributions are essential, the gathering’s defining purpose is patriotism, availability, and dedication to tasks.
He encouraged classmates to rise to leadership roles, assuring that with commitment and initiative, “miracle volunteers” would emerge to take on financial responsibilities. Prince Charles also called for unity and peace among members, urging them to show greater dedication to their assigned roles for the collective success of the group.
The evening was a delightful mix of nostalgia and celebration. Attendees enjoyed delicious meals, refreshing drinks, and engaging games, topped off with lively dancing as classmates relived cherished memories and celebrated the end of the year together.
There was laud jubilation at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Igbariam, Anambra State, as many staff and students of the Institution bags various outstanding performance awards.
The Varsity management also honoured the Chief of Staff to governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, the Lawmaker representing Anoacha two Stste Constituency, Hon Ejike Okechukwu, the lawmaker representing Anambra East State Constituency, Hon Obi Nweke, the Managing Director of Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, ACTDA boss, Hon Ossy Onuko, Paul Okafor and others for their various contributions to the growth and development of the University.
The awards, according to correspondent, were presented to them by the acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Kate Azuka Omenugha, shortly after the conclusion of the School 2024 Carol of night lessons celebration.
The event which took place at the University’s ETF Auditorium, on Friday, December 20th, 2024 with the Theme; COOU Christmas: A bouquet of joy and award, also has in attendance, Traditional rulers, management staff, students and other lovers of the School.
Speaking after the presentation, the VC, Prof Omenugha, said the honoured is the Varsity’s maiden edition, aimed at rewarding remarkable staff and students who are working in line with the Varsity’s 3vs (Vision, Viability and visibility).
She said the staff /students awards cut across eleven distinct categories, including the Research Excellence Award, Teaching Recognition Award, Non-Teaching Staff Awards (which encompass Administrative Excellence Awards for the Registry, Bursary, and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor), and the Student Excellence Recognition Award.
“Additional award categories feature the COOU 2024 Champion Award, Best Green Faculty Award, Award for Institutional Collaboration and Visibility, Most Impactful University Committee of the Year, Tree Planting and Climate Action Award, Selfless Service Award, and the Unsung Hero Award.
She emphasized the initiative behind the maiden awards, stating that it serves as a platform to celebrate excellence, foster camaraderie, and emphasize the well-being of university staff, aligned with the institution’s 3Vs policy—Values, Viability, and Visibility.
“Our goal is to sustain and institutionalize this process, ensuring that exceptional staff and students receive recognition at the close of each year. Since assumption of Office, We observed the remarkable talents present within this university and the commitment of individuals in their respective departments. We have also come across casual workers and cleaners who are true ‘unsung heroes.’ We want to express our gratitude and encourage them, hoping that this acknowledgment will inspire them and motivate others for the year ahead,” the VC noted.
In their unanimous appreciation, the awardees staff/students, expressed their joy, said the recognition would spur them to achieve more excellence and finish strong in their courses of study and research.
The event also featured dance competitions, raffle draws, and gift exchanges.
