The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Adamu Ahmed, says the Nigerian university has quite a lot to learn from China’s Tongji University in the areas of urban planning, architecture, and civil engineering.
A statement from the public affairs directorate office of the VC said Prof Ahmed spoke when he led a team from ABU on a visit to the Chinese university in Shanghai for strong collaboration with the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP).
He and other members of the team had a meeting with top officials of Tongji University led by its Vice President, Prof Li Xiangning.
Ahmed acknowledged the huge role the Chinese university and its College of Architecture and Urban Planning had played in the infrastructure development of modern China.
It has been widely acknowledged that over 90 percent of all super high rise buildings and more than 70 percent of all metro lines trace their designs and development to Tongji University, Shanghai.
The Vice-Chancellor said their visit to the university was largely informed by such a remarkable feat.
Ahmed thanked the university for the warm reception and its willingness to cooperate and collaborate with ABU, especially in its core strength as exemplified by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Receiving the team, the Vice President, Tongji University, Prof Li Xiangning, described the Chinese institution as a leading ‘double First-Class’ rated university in China.
He explained that this was on the strength of being first in urban planning, and second in architecture, with civil engineering having the highest number of international students in China.
Prof Xiangning recognised the status of ABU in Nigeria and therefore looked forward to establishment of a strong collaboration between the two universities.
He listed three key areas for the collaboration that included academic (admissions and teaching), research, and practice.
Further discussions on the specifics are to be carried out after which a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed.
Other top officials of Tongji University present were Prof Chen Yili, Director, International Students Office; Prof Chen Chen, Vice Dean, CAUP; and Prof Liu Fang, Vice Dean, College of Civil Engineering.
They also included Prof Zhu Xingyi, Vice Dean, College of Transportation; Prof Tang Min and Prof Zhao Qinpei, School of Computer Science and Technology; and Xu Li, Program Coordinator, International Office.
The Vice-Chancellor and his team were first at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), where they were received by the Vice Dean, Prof Chen Chen and other top officials of the college.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof Raymond B Bako, was a member of the team that visited the Chinese university.
Others were the Director, IAIICT, Prof Emmanuel Adewale Adedokun, and the Director, ABU Distance Learning Centre and IIOE Nigeria National Centre, Prof Muhammed Bashir Mu’azu.
