President Reshef will also discuss two collaborative models during this trip to Abuja, which are a clear example of how many qualified students can benefit across Africa and around the world.
The first is a private sector partnership. After several months in a pilot phase, the University has embarked on a drive to rapidly increase its footprint and reach for African students. In support of this, Microsoft joined UoPeople in offering of 1,000 UoPeople scholarships for African youth. Scholarship recipients are also eligible for professional training from Microsoft, mentorship by Microsoft employees, internships, and job opportunities with Microsoft and their affiliates in Africa, upon graduation. UoPeople sees this collaboration as an extraordinary opportunity to both empower potential African students and encourage other international corporations to follow suit.
The second is a public sector agreement. The Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria has entered a partnership with University of the People in a milestone agreement which will support students towards achieving Bachelor Degrees in Computer Science or Business Administration. This US$1million collaboration will be carried out through the establishment of a dedicated centre for students to access computers and the Internet in Bayelsa. The programme will assist deserving youth who have completed high school in Bayelsa, are proficient in English and have been screened for suitable university education.
"These collaborations and others like them could potentially make higher education accessible to millions of Africans across the continent. I hope that the future success of these monumental partnerships will encourage other companies and governments to join forces with UoPeople and eliminate the barriers to higher education" says Reshef.
UoPeople's goal is simple - to democratise higher education, by opening the gates to all qualifies candidates, regardless of financial, geographic, societal or personal constraints. These two collaborations are perfect examples of how this goal can be achieved- through corporate and government collaborations. This is the path for bridging the gap between the existing seats in local universities and the demand for seats by qualified students. Partnering with local governments and international corporations is the way to achieve this goal, and UoPeople hopes that these exciting agreements with Microsoft and the Bayelsa State Government of Nigeria are only the beginning.
