For enhanced international education, cooperation and strengthening of mutual understanding, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding with Chengdu University, China.
According to the statement signed by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Ngozi Okiridu, the friendship in addition to establishing an international sister school relationship was part of the dividends of IAUE’S participation in the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
“The International University Sports Federation FISU ( Federation International du Sport Universitaire founded in 1949) FISU World University Games 2023 may have come and gone but the memories will forever linger in the hearts of IAUE Staff and Students in the Sports Unit who participated in the Game which held in Chengdu in the People’s Republic of China between July 28 and August 8, 2023”, the statement read in parts.
It noted that IAUE Sports Council Chairman, Professor Sam Otamiri expressed appreciation to the Vice Chancellor Of IAUE Professor Okechuku Onuchuku for the opportunity and for defraying the cost of their travels to China with two Athletes.
He hinted that although they did not come back home with any medal, the experience gathered in sports training and equipment and the memorandum of understanding signed between IAUE and Chengdu University, China can not be quantified in monetary terms.
Professor Otamiri disclosed that the brilliant performance of Opute Onyeamaechi, a 400 level student of Management Department, Faculty of Management Sciences who represented the University in swimming at the 26th NUGA Games which held in 2022 in Lagos caught the attention of the world so much that multi sports club Qatar signed him up immediately adding that with this feat, he will represent Qatar in the upcoming game in 2025.
The Sports Council Chairman observed that the fact that the student who participated in swimming was sought for and engaged almost immediately shows that if trained with the state of the art facilities as experienced in Chengdu China, that IAUE students can do better and go places.
He therefore appealed to the Vice Chancellor to upgrade sports facilities in the university for greater performance of the students.
In his response, the elated Vice Chancellor Prof. Onuchukwu who was presented with a gift from Professor Wang Qingyuan, of Chengdu University thanked the IAUE delegates to the World University Games for the positive news they brought back.
He affirmed that collaborating with universities outside the shores of Nigeria makes for better expansion of frontier, exposure, more knowledge and experience in addition to access to better facilities that can be replicated.
He promised to upgrade facilities in the Sports Unit for it to be in tandem with best practices and expressed hope that students, Professors, administrative staff and research scholars would exchange activities for the mutual benefits of both IAUE and Chengdu University in the People’s Republic of China.
It would be recalled that the 31st edition of the World University Games formerly the Universiade was initially scheduled for 2021 but was postponed twice due to Covid-19 restrictions.
