The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Adamu Ahmed, says the institution is fully committed to creating new opportunities for its academic staff through strategic collaborations with some of the best institutions around the world.
According to him, the university was expanding partnerships that would open doors for joint research, staff exchange, capacity building, mentorship, innovation, and access to competitive international grants.
A statement from the public affairs directorate office of the VC said Prof Ahmed disclosed this when he declared open a symposium organised by the university for its newly promoted professors.
The one-day event took place at the ACENPEE Conference Hall, ABU, Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria on Thursday, 21st May, 2026.
On the rationale for the symposium, the Vice-Chancellor said the training was carefully conceived to prepare the newly promoted professors for the responsibilities that accompany the distinguished office.
He said the title ‘professor’ is one that commands respect globally but it also carries enormous expectations.
“As professors, you are ambassadors of this university, representatives of your disciplines, mentors to younger scholars, and custodians of academic excellence”, he stressed.
According to him, beyond teaching and supervision, a professor must be a driver of innovation, a builder of partnerships, and a catalyst for transformational research with measurable societal impact.
He told them that the global visibility and ranking of universities were increasingly shaped by the quality of research output, interdisciplinary collaboration, successful grant acquisition, and the ability to address pressing national and global challenges.
The Vice-Chancellor therefore encouraged the new professors to see their new roles not only as positions of prestige but also as platforms for leadership and impact.
Prof Ahmed also urged them to position themselves to take full advantage of these opportunities as they emerged, as the university leadership remained committed to providing an enabling environment that supports their growth.
He further enjoined them to remain intellectually curious, ethically grounded, and socially responsive.
The Vice-Chancellor was particularly happy that the facilitators for the symposium were distinguished scholars and accomplished global researchers.
The facilitators, according to him, were renowned for breaking barriers in their various fields while successfully anchoring high-impact grant applications and international collaborations.
Ahmed congratulated all of them on attaining the rank of professor, saying the university celebrated them wholeheartedly for reaching the pinnacle of their academic accomplishment.
He said their elevation to the position was not only a personal achievement but also a recognition of years of dedication, scholarship, mentorship, sacrifice, and service to knowledge and humanity.
There were six facilitators that included the Centre Leader, ACENPEE, Prof Raymond B Bako, who spoke on ‘Professors as Academic Leaders’ and Centre Leader, ACENTDFB, Prof YKE Ibrahim, who talked on ‘Research Teams and Themes’.
Others were Coordinator, Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO), Prof E O Balogun; and Deputy Director, Directorate of Research and Innovation, Prof Mohammed A Ibrahim.
Prof Bamidele Adebisi, MBE, Head of the Smart Infrastructure and Industry Research (SIIR) Group, Department of Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, also served as a facilitator.
Another global scholar, who made presentation at the symposium was Prof Harry de Koning.
Koning, who spoke on ‘Academic Collaborations and Networking’, is the Head of Parasite Biochemistry and Pharmacology (Parasitology), School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, UK.
The training session was wrapped up by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Advancement, Research and Innovation, Prof Aliyu Sanusi Rafindadi
