Directorate of Linkages and Partnership

Our Responsibilities

1. Industrial–Academia Partnership

This partnership provides a platform for both students and faculties to engage with industries, aiming for a symbiotic relationship that fosters opportunities for both parties. It affords a comprehensive and integrative approach to training our students beyond the existing SIWES programme. Our staff are also able to have industrial sabbatical positions too for innovative entrepreneurial engagement, which could enhance productivity on both sides.
Accomplished entrepreneurs from partner organisations may be appointed as visiting lecturers if they have the minimum qualification to teach some units of courses relevant to their specialisations. Such injection of real-life industrial experience is key to acquiring relevant skills by our graduate in the course of their training.

2. Employability Centre

This centre houses the Career Services Centre of the university. It engages in the following activities to help our students access jobs readily in the market. Career

3. Internships for our students (paid and unpaid)

A work placement is a mutually beneficial arrangement, offering just as many benefits to the employer as to the student. Our students are ready, willing and eager to engage in any business role a company would like them to undertake. This will run during inter-semester breaks from the 2nd year to the final year. Specific benefits for the company could include:

1. Short-term specialist knowledge for the company
2. An external viewpoint to the business, driven by the latest management thinking
3. Placements can support short- or fixed-term project work.
4. Placements Students can undertake many of the roles of an expert at a significantly reduced cost.
5. Placements offer a chance to see potential employees in action before making hiring decisions
6. A talent pipeline: many students could return after graduation, so placements can offer the chance to engage good talent at an early stage.

4. Institutional Partnership (International)

Since the inception of the current administration, there have been serious moves to engage institutions in the developed world for teaching and research. As such, a number of faculty members from the University of Nottingham were engaged as visiting professors in the Department of Morbid Anatomy. Also, the appointment of another visiting professor of pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry from King’s College London has been recently approved.

The university collaborated with Swansea University, UK, for a joint British Council Research grant in 2019. This relationship has grown to MOU preparation, ready for signing to jointly host a 2+2 style of BSc degree in Business Management, MSc Sustainable Financing and MSc Strategic Marketing. Staff exchange is also a component of the MOU, as well as conferences, workshops and seminars.

Besides, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has an MOU already signed to jointly host a BSc degree in Forensic Science following a 2+2 style as encouraged by NUC.
The partnership with the University of the West of Scotland had expired, which would be re-visited, particularly for our faculties in Engineering, where the first beneficiary of the staff exchange is.
Likewise, we have an MOU with Morgan State University, USA. The university subscribes to international linkages that enhance educational standards. These include the

1. Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU),
2. Association of African Universities (AAU),
3. Association of West African Universities (AWAU)

5. Institutional Partnership (Local)

Our researchers’ network of partnerships transcends the borders of the state; however, we have not formalised most of the partnerships with many of such institutions. OOU has granted affiliation to Tai Solarin College of Education to award degrees in education-related programmes.

6. International Office

In order to enhance the profile of the university ranking, the international outlook of the university through the recruitment of international students and staff is key. This office liaises with embassies in Nigeria to open the door of the university to willing international communities. It is equipped to provide support for visa processing where necessary. Other necessary ancillary support relating to the welfare of international students and staff is taken care of by the international office.