Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), located in Igbariam, Anambra State, has obtained its first-ever research funding from the European Union (EU), amounting to €400,000.
Dr Harrison Madubueze, the university’s Public Relations Officer, revealed this in a statement released in Awka on Thursday, stating that the grant was awarded under the highly regarded Erasmus Capacity Building in Higher Education Programme.
He stated that the development is a remarkable breakthrough and signals a new beginning for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State.
“This significant accomplishment is a major milestone for the university and a direct outcome of the visionary leadership of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, FNIPR, whose strategic ‘3Vs Agenda’ (Values, Viability, and Visibility) is gradually reshaping the university’s standing on the global academic map.”
The approved project, titled Enhancing Employability of Accounting Graduates in Uganda and Nigeria by Integrating Employability Skills into Accounting Education using a Work-Integrated Learning Approach (acronym: DESIRED), aims to tackle one of the most pressing issues confronting higher education in Africa—namely, the widening gap between academic training and job market demands.
“The project seeks to empower young accounting graduates in Nigeria and Uganda with practical, in-demand employability skills through a structured Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) model. The grant will fund this ambitious effort over 24 months and will involve extensive collaboration between eight prestigious institutions across four countries.”
“The Nigerian institutions in the project consortium include Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK).”
“Their African counterparts from Uganda are the MAT ABACUS Business School and the Makerere University Business School (MUBS). Joining them are three prominent European partners: Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal), Stichting VU (Netherlands), and Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), alongside consulting firm Sejjaaka Kaawaase & Co. This multi-country collaboration reinforces COOU’s rising international status and strengthens its research and teaching network across borders.”
“The DESIRED project will benefit over 3,000 students and staff in Nigeria and Uganda, and will focus on critical activities such as curriculum redesign, development of a WIL quality control framework, industry-academia engagement strategies, and capacity building through student and staff mobility programmes.”
“More importantly, the initiative will institutionalise accounting-industry partnerships and provide participating students with access to hands-on training, internships, and employment pipelines. It also aims to enhance the professional identity of accounting graduates from the onset of their studies and better prepare them for recruitment schemes like ‘Graduate Into Employment’ initiatives.”
“This achievement is not only a credit to the dynamic leadership of Prof Omenugha, but also a reflection of the bold vision and continuous support of the Visitor to the University and Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR. His passionate belief in the capacity of COOU and his Solution Agenda have created an enabling environment for innovation, academic excellence, and international recognition. Under his leadership, education in Anambra State has become a priority vehicle for sustainable development, youth empowerment, and global partnerships.”
“COOU’s journey to securing this EU grant did not happen by chance. In February 2024, the Acting Vice-Chancellor inaugurated a 16-member Research Management Office (RMO) Team with an agenda to lead the university’s research and internationalisation strategy.”
“On 28 February 2024, COOU hosted a high-level international workshop titled Deepening COOU’s International Agenda: The Erasmus+ and Other Pathways, drawing attention to the university’s readiness for global partnerships. This was closely followed by a diplomatic engagement with the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Her Excellency Joanna Tarnawska, at the Polish Embassy in Abuja, as well as with the EU Embassy also in Abuja, opening further international windows of opportunity for COOU.”
“On 8 March 2024, COOU successfully registered on the European Commission Funding and Tenders Portal (ECFTP), which officially qualified the university to enter strategic partnerships and apply for future EU-funded projects—a major move that solidifies its international footing.”
“This landmark grant represents more than just financial support. It signals the beginning of a new era for COOU—an era in which research, teaching, student development, and international collaboration will thrive.”
“With this success, the university is poised to set the standard for academic excellence not only in Anambra State but across Nigeria and the African continent, as the Now and Future University!”
“As we look to the future, there is renewed optimism at COOU. With the momentum already building, the university stands ready to embrace new opportunities, launch more ambitious projects, and continue telling a compelling story of progress and innovation.”
“Indeed, COOU is rising, and the world is beginning to take notice,” Madubueze concluded.
