Written by Paschal Anosike
The Centre for African Social and Economic Transformation (CASET), in partnership with the University of Lagos, Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the British Council, recently convened a Project Impact Showcase for the Bridging Borders Project themed Transnational Education Pathways between the UK and Nigeria at the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre, UNILAG, Lagos State, Nigeria.
With a focus on building the entrepreneurship education (EE) innovation infrastructure in Nigerian universities through research, capacity building and international collaboration, the event showcased the project’s impact, plans by participating faculty members to leverage knowledge and skills gained from the project to inform their curricula, and a review of the post-intervention progress to consolidate these project outcomes, enhance graduate employability and entrepreneurial capability through transnational education (TNE) partnership.
Between April and June 2025, 107 academic and professional staff from partner universities participated in 12 online training sessions designed to strengthen their capacity in experiential entrepreneurship education, innovative assessment methods and curriculum design aligned with global best practices. Post-training evaluation revealed a 30% increase in participant confidence in delivering effective EE, alongside improved pedagogical knowledge and assessment design capability. These outcomes reflect a clear shift in teaching practice rather than simply participation in training.
The project contributes to broader sector-level capacity building engagement in Nigeria, following on from a visit to Abuja in August 2025 to train, advise and support Nigerian university Vice Chancellors and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to strengthen national capacity for EE delivery. With 241 universities across Nigeria and entrepreneurship education designated as a compulsory course, the CASET’s Bridging Borders initiative provides practical tools for African higher education institutions seeking to develop effective student start-up ecosystems and address graduate unemployment.
A major milestone of the project was the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between UWE Bristol and the three Nigerian partner universities. These agreements formalised commitments to joint curriculum development, co-delivery of programmes, and student progression pathways, which lay a strong foundation for sustained TNE collaboration. For UWE, the partnerships expand our global engagement and research collaboration, while Nigerian partners benefit from strengthened teaching capacity and international learning opportunities.
The project delivers both individual and institutional impact, as participating faculty apply new knowledge to enhance and redesign EE curricula and explore joint short courses with UWE. More broadly, the initiative supports our RISE Beacons and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly #SDG4 (Quality Education), #SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), #SDG9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and #SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals).