Just In: Alausa Visits UoB Dubai Ahead of Lagos Campus Launch

Bringing Global Education Home: Minister of Education Visits University of Birmingham (UoB) Dubai Campus to advance plans of UoB Lagos.

Sunday 19th October, 2025

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In our ongoing agenda to expand access to world-class tertiary education in Nigeria, the Honourable Minister of Education (HME), Dr Tunji Alausa, CON, visited the University of Birmingham Dubai Campus.

This visit marks the next step in finalising arrangements for the establishment of a University of Birmingham branch campus in Nigeria.

Earlier this year, in June, the Minister visited the University of Birmingham’s founding campus in the United Kingdom. That visit was followed by a reciprocal visit to Nigeria by the University’s Senior Management Team, who met with the National Universities Commission (NUC) and five Nigerian universities. Following a series of consultations and delegations, the University of Birmingham (UoB) selected the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as its partner institution. This milestone partnership meeting was coordinated by the Honourable Minister of Education in August.

Ahead of the formal signing of the final agreement — scheduled for January 25th–27th, 2026, when the University of Birmingham’s Vice-Chancellor and Senior Management Team will visit Nigeria — the Honourable Minister was invited to the Dubai campus for further discussions on the University’s establishment in Nigeria.

The visit proved extremely productive. Dr Alausa was given a tour of the stunning Dubai campus by the Senior Management Team, led by Ben Bailey, Chief Operating Officer, Professor Yusra Mouzughi, Provost, and Cathy Gilbert, Director of Commercial Partnerships.

During the visit, the Minister held extensive meetings with the Dubai leadership team to gain deeper insight into the operational framework for UoB’s forthcoming Lagos campus, set to commence academic activities in January. The Minister also engaged with a group of students to discuss their experiences — including the quality of instruction, the University’s responsiveness to student needs, and the global perception and affordability of a UoB education. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, further reinforcing the Federal Government’s decision to support the establishment of a UoB campus in Nigeria. Students spoke highly of their lecturers, teaching standards, and the enriching learning environment on campus.

The establishment of the University of Birmingham’s Lagos campus underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape and strengthening human capital development — a key pillar of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR-led administration.

President Tinubu firmly believes that education is the foundation of national development — the pathway for Nigerians to uplift themselves, their families, and their communities.

Following discussions with UoB, the Honourable Minister directed that 50% of the University’s academic focus in Nigeria should be on postgraduate education and the remaining 50% on undergraduate programmes. The postgraduate training will prioritise STEMM-related disciplines such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Life Sciences, Data Science, and other fields critical to national growth. This focus will enhance the capacity of lecturers in Nigerian tertiary institutions and produce a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting the President’s vision of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

This visit represents a significant milestone for Nigeria and the Federal Government. Dr Alausa expressed deep satisfaction with the progress made, noting that it aligns seamlessly with the Ministry’s 6-point NESRI agenda — which focuses on advancing STEMM education, strengthening TVET, reducing the number of out-of-school children, enhancing data and digitalisation, promoting girl-child education, and improving quality assurance across the education sector.