American University in Yobe--Who's applying?
http://www.abti-american.edu.ng/

AU prepares university in Nigeria
AU paid to help with Nation's first private school By Jeannette Kimmel

President Benjamin Ladner joined with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar to break ground on Nigeria's only private American-style university last month.

AU officials, together with several Nigerian officials, have been developing plans for the ABTI-American University of Nigeria (AAUN) since early 2003, when AU received a proposal from Abubakar asking for assistance in advising the first stages of establishing the university.

AAUN will be coed, modern, secular, technologically connected and American-style, according to Dr. Robert Pastor, vice president of International Affairs.

"ABTI ... is the company name of the different conglomerate of businesses, Nursery, Primary, Secondary and the much awaited ABTI American University," according to Haruna B. A. Mustafa on amanaonline.com

"They really want us to help on a permanent basis," Pastor said. AU has "negotiated internally, within AU, and externally, with [Nigerian officials] for a five-year management consultancy agreement. They would pay us for our services to advise them on how to build the entire university, both the physical structures, the curriculum and the recruitment of the senior management team." The amount AU is being paid was not disclosed.

Ladner signed the agreement on Jan. 1 and development of the school began shortly thereafter.

"[Nigerian officials] had a bold vision, all they wanted from us was advice," Pastor said. "We felt this could be a turning point for both Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa where education has deteriorated. We believe that this University could become a model for all of sub-Saharan Africa. [Officials have a] desire to have this University become something quite different from any other."

AU officials have hired a president and a vice president of academic affairs, have advised the Nigerian government on architectural drawings and master plans, on the curriculum, and are currently in the process or recruiting the rest of the senior management team and the faculty, according to Pastor.

"We have moved very quickly [in establishing the university]," Pastor said.

Dr. David Huwiler, former president of the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan (no association with AU), began working at AAUN in September, according to The Washington Post. Dr. V. James Garofalo, former dean of the School of Education at Aquinas College in Michigan, will join him as vice president.

Dr. Peter Lewis, professor and director of the Council for African Studies in SIS, said this is an important development.

"Nigeria is a very poor country that has been badly governed for years. It's public education system has been deteriorating for decades, so there is a huge demand [for a private university]," said Lewis, who has been heavily involved with AAUN developments.

"Over one million applicants compete for 100,000 slots in the current standard school system," said Lewis. An average student attending a public school receives about two percent of the resources students receive at AU, he said.

AAUN is located in Yola, in an eastern part of Nigeria in a Muslim region called Adamawa. The area has a population of 88,500. Nigeria is a nation with a 40 percent Christian, 50 percent Muslim population and an oil-based economy.

AAUN will start with only 200 students and include three schools: Arts and Sciences, Entrepreneurial Studies and Business Management, and Information Technology and Communication, selected by ABTI because of their relevance to Nigeria's government, according to a recent press release. Officials plan to expand to 7,000 students within 10 years.

"There is really a commitment to quality among the leaders in Nigeria," he said.

AU hopes to develop an exchange program for students in three years, once AAUN is fully established, according to Pastor. "I think it's a good experience to go to school in a developing country to see how it works," said Ben Sander, a sophomore in SIS who is going abroad to Nairobi, Kenya next fall. "It's much different than going to school in the States where we have a lot of amenities."

Abubakar said he is excited about the start of the university.

"We are moving closer to my dream of having a world-class university in Nigeria, and that is signified by the involvement of American University, one of the top universities in the world," said Abubakar in a press release. Abubakar's wife, Jennifer, is a Ph.D. student in SIS.

AAUN is the second university AU has helped establish, along with the American University of Sharjah, founded in 1997. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place on October 25, 2004. AAUN is scheduled to begin classes in September 2005.

More information regarding the university can be found at www.abti-american.edu.ng

this is strange

why?

An american uni in Yobe(nig)
this is the first one i guess

Well there are many american universities around the world. Its not just an american university, but "America niversity" the brand name. Its a uni based in washington DC with branches around the world, like in egypt and eastern europe. i think there is one is israel

Yeah and I guess it would be for mostly children of the horrifically rich!!

6000 a year is hardly horrible rich. Besides, thats a good thing. It frees up classes in the federal schools which were meant for the poor anyway

6000 what? Dollars or Naira?

dollars

Thats cheap, compare to what you pay in the USA or even some Asian countries.

cheap compared to US tuition, but in china thiers is even cheaper. its like 1000 dollars

6000 dollars. Wayyyy to cheap. For a Year?? Are you kidding me?? International students with 14 credit hours (3 classes) pay like 2000 dollars every semester over here. Are you really kidding me. That's cheap.

My friend is an international student. She has like 22 classes to complete+ some pre-requsites..After calculating all her money...gosh it was way too much.. almost 30 summin thousand. But you don't pay at once...and you don't finish all the classes in one year. I still stand on the ground that, this school must be good, and it's very cheap. An american school, in yobe..Great!!!!! Yay To Nigeria.

Mind you i said some Asian countries. China's medium of instruction is not English . So China is out.

hot angel, its not cheap by nigerian standards, but it does serve a purpose because it free up space are other schools. also there will liekly be scholarships for poor students.

ohhh..right.

They're not going to be freeing up much space. Only 200 students will be accepted by this university!

200 students at first. The article says it will eventually hold 7,500 students

I think of that of YOLA ADAMAWA STATE is there any in Yobe?

Damaturu--yobe. Since primary school. Still in my head.

The school isn't in Yobe - it's in Yola. Stands to reason - I hear VP Abubakar (who is from Adamawa) is one of the people behind the project.

I hope this marks the re-introduction of quality tertiary education in Nigeria.

so u mean VP(vice president) cant do stuffs in other states apart from his own?

so u mean VP(vice president) can't do stuffs in other states apart from his own?

He certainly can, Hot-angel. But y'know... charity begins in Adamawa.

Do you think that Yobe would have been a good choice, then?

7500 students within 10 yeard. There will be many new universities in the country by then!

Ka:

He certainly can, Hot-angel. But y'know... charity begins in Adamawa.

Do you think that Yobe would have been a good choice, then?

Ohh i wans't against yobe. I was just wondering why the VP won't do stuffs in other states. YOla is cool. Closer to Gombe (incase i go to nigeria..i'll go to Gombe..then i can see the school at yola).

I aint being discriminative or anything Why is it in Yola, oh my gosh the city is not even lively. Dang

Yola is getting big now. VP has done so many things there. My cousin schools in one of the schools there..and she said it's developing.

i guess you dont understand what i said please try to understand before you make a comment.

nddy:

Well maybe its develpoing but the last tyme i travelled to Nigeria. That place looks like Sahara . I just can't help being real.

That was last time. Check your "facts" before stating them. Last time ain't this time. You ain't being "real" if wat you said is not a "fact".

I was at Yola then Gongola State for my NYSC with the airport at centre of the city you are just 1hr away from lagos. With river benue and savannah sugar it is a london. Verayo hotel and many more fun at JImeta.

seun, there will be many more universities, but also many more millions born. I think 10 years is a good way to go.

Abti-American University is really a school to  be.
The school actually started last last semester and most of its faculty members are US trained.
How much can one say about it? One need only to see for himself.

Omorogbe Omorogiuwa
Major: Communitcations
Abt-American University,
Yola.
Adamawa State,
Nigeria

6000 a year is hardly horrible rich. Besides, thats a good thing. It frees up classes in the federal schools which were meant for the poor anyway

you learn new things everyday