A financial strategist, Mrs Ngozi Chidozie, has tasked Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Lagos Business School (LBS) to collaborate to introduce borderless education to enable access to quality learning from any location.
Chidozie, Partner, Head of Strategy and Customer Relations, KPMG, Nigeria, gave the advice at the launch of Master of Business Administration (MBA)/Senior Management Programme (SMP)/Associate Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) by CIBN and LBS on Friday in Lagos.
The event, sponsored by Fidelity Bank Plc, had the topic, “Addressing the Competency Gaps: The Matrimony between Professional and Academic Qualifications.”
“What we should be thinking from an outsider’s perspective should be about borderless education, where people can get education irrespective of where they are.
“So, as we think about this interaction and this partnership with the LBS and CIBN, and partnerships that we will also be having in the future. That’s an option that we have to be considering.
“How do we ensure that this programme is attractive to people both in Nigeria and outside of Nigeria?” she asked.
Chidozie urged the institutions to also start thinking about shorter and specific courses in different areas, pro-courses, micro courses, nano courses, and courses that could be completed within three to four months.
She urged the institutions to also think about experiential learning and gamification, adding that people learnt better when it seemed like they were playing a game.
“So, the LBS and CIBN collaboration is a worthy initiative; the benefits that we stand to gain as a nation is that it builds our employability and skills that we have available in the market.
“We are hoping that it will reduce the ‘Japa’ syndrome because, if you have those options in Nigeria, why would people want to leave, especially if it ends up being a very strong brand.
“It builds the skills for entrepreneurship because you can’t have a better combination than LBS in Nigeria and CIBN for bankers; if you bring those two together it’s the best entrepreneurship drive that you can get,” she said.
The Dean, Lagos Business School, Prof. Chris Ogbechie, said the launch of the programmes was a combination of the vision and hard work of men and women from the great institutions.
He said the team was focused on delivering value and positively impacting the society through jointly managed knowledge activities.
“The strategic corporation between our institutions to jointly manage these degree and executive programmes is for the benefit of our members who will go on and with knowledge to solve the problems of the society.
“What we need now in our country is collaboration, partnerships and COVID-19 has actually thought us that the way forward is collaboration and hookup-petition,” he said.
Dr Ken Opara, president, CIBN, who was represented by the 2nd Vice-President CIBN, Prof Dele Alabi, said the programmes offered dual qualifications of MBA and professional designation of ACIB.
“This is an exclusive pathway designed to fast-track the attainment of the Associateship status of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (ACIB) while enhancing competence and skills in the financial services industry.
“I will like to state that this programme is a local variant of the existing relationship the Institute has with Bangor University, United Kingdom, which offers a triple qualification of MBA, ACIB Scotland and ACIB Nigeria.
“Hence, these programmes will give premium opportunities to the participants to update their managerial skills and strategic thinking.
“It will also enable them gain a thorough understanding of the current business context thereby aiding them to implement strategies for effective change processes,” Opara said.