About the Forum

Registered in Nigeria as a not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee (RC 632001) on 19 August 2005, the Nigeria ICT Forum of Partnership Institutions is an initiative of the Nigerian Caucus (a joint meeting of the Vice-Chancellors and ICT Coordinators of the six Partnership Nigerian Universities) held in Dar-es-Salaam on 9 September 2004, with the stimulation and support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation.

It was conceived out of the realization that Nigerian Research and Education Institutions hardly have an independent voice in National policy making; that almost half of the African Universities being supported by the Partnership Foundations are in Nigeria; and therefore, that success here will have a positive impact on Partnership interventions and this should have a wider positive impact on the wider Higher Education and Research system.

Already at Dar-es-Salaam to resolve the common problem of high cost of satellite bandwidth alongside other Partnership African Universities, the Nigerian Caucus realized that the six Partnership universities were the best placed to initiate the formation of a collaborative Forum that would provide an opportunity and serve as platform for member institutions to foster the development of National Research and Education Network (NREN) in Nigeria, beginning with member institutions and their neighbourhoods.

While Nigerian Research and Education Institutions have several bodies and associations with the potential to serve as a lobby group for policy review (such as the Committee of Vice-Chancellors (CVC); Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COHEADS); Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education (COP); Committee of Bursars, etc.; as well as staff and students Associations and Unions), they require to be provided with relevant, strategic, timely and actionable information in order to effectively make inputs in policies in technical areas like ICTs.

Similarly, none of the institutions by itself would be able to devote sufficient time and resources to perform such functions on their behalf. Therefore, what was required to fill this niche is a collaborative organization that is administratively streamlined and wholly “owned” by member institutions, while being independent of any of them and of Government. Such an organization and program of activities would seek out allies among the various bodies and associations to work and collaborate with, as well as provide space and capacity for universities to monitor and make inputs in National policies that affect them, accelerate ICT capacity building and utilization, and strengthen teaching, learning, research, collaboration, communications as well as management and administration in Nigerian educational institutions.

Our Core Values

The Forum adopts absolutely, the basic principles and commitments on which it is grounded and which do not change in response to circumstances including existing threats or emerging opportunities.

The Forum will be guided in all its endeavours by these interdependent values: non-partisanship; openness and transparency; credibility and integrity; sustainability and a strong sense of ownership by member institutions.

The Forum is grounded on trust and will jealously protect the interests of the research and education community.

Our Goals

During the period 2009 – 2014, the Forum will use best practices to consolidate its focus and restructure its governance and management structures. This is in order to reposition the Forum for current challenges and responsibilities. The Forum in the plan period will Nurture the building of sustainable networks in the Higher Education Sector. It will do so through creating awareness and sensitisation, training and retraining, as well as provision of services. It will work with its members and the rest of the HE sector through the AVCNU/ CVC, COHEADS, COP and similar associations. It will work with the public and private sector as well as with professional bodies and associations, to promote healthy private sector partnerships with the education sector.

To achieve the aforementioned, the following three broad and overarching goals have been determined:

1. Put in place governing and management structures for effective and efficient delivery of the Forum’s mandates.
2. Enhance and sustain the commitment of HEIs to use ICTs for institutional strengthening.
3. Nurture the building of vibrant e-communities through training, innovation and partnerships.

Strategy and Activities

To achieve its three major goals, the Forum will undertake the following strategic activities during the period 2009 – 2014:

1. Put in place governing and management structures commensurate with the Forum’s mandates
   • Review and replace the existing governing and management structures, in line with current roles and responsibilities, experiential knowledge and legal considerations, after due consultation
   • Adopt a not-for-profit, business approach to management of all activities through the implementation of a business plan
   • Explore options for outsourcing for effective and efficient delivery of tasks
2. Enhance and sustain the commitment of HEIs to use ICT for institutional strengthening
   • Enhance and sustain the annual ICT in HE conference
   • Institute an annual activity for Vice Chancellors, Provosts, Rectors and ICT Directors
   • Institute an annual on-site networking clinic for improvement of existing institutional networks
   • Liaise closely with the private sector to build partnerships with the education sector
   • Explore Forum consortia potentials outside the BWC
   • Implement an ngREN study to facilitate best practices in the setting up a national REN
   • Liaise with Librarians, Directors of Physical Facilities, Bursars and other professionals through sensitisation and publicity for their support with ICT initiatives
   • Develop a formal relationship with more stakeholders including the Governors Forum and the National Assembly
   • Liaise closely with government agencies including the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE
   • Work with Development Agencies, the PHEA, and the donor community for institutional strengthening of Nigerian HEIs
3. Nurture the building of vibrant e-communities through training, innovation and partnerships
   • Facilitate the development of gender programs in HEIs, in order to increase female participation and success, in the delivery of ICT initiatives
   • Facilitate the active participation of ICT functionaries in national and international workshops and conferences
   • Work with national, regional and international bodies including NiRA, NIXP; the AAU, AfNOG, AfriNIC; NSRC; UA; and ICTP, to build capacity and the profile of the Forum
   • Provide quality internet access to HEIs through low cost bandwidth from the BWC
   • Enhance and sustain the ngNOG annual workshop to maximise outputs and outcomes
   • Encourage and support the introduction of regional in-country training though local NOGs
   • Provide leadership and support for e-learning initiatives in the education sector and stimulate partnerships between HEIs
   • Foster the exchange of interns to stimulate increased students’ leadership in all campuses
   • Facilitate the active involvement of students and staff in the development and utilisation of ICT resources
   • Institute a periodic survey of ICT status of institutions in order to stimulate peer review and identify areas of strength