The Executive Secretary of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), Professor Andrew Haruna, mnipr, has praised the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for its unwavering commitment to integrity, transparency, and professionalism in public relations—values that, he noted, align with the vision and mission of Nigerian universities.
Professor Haruna made these remarks on Monday during a courtesy visit to the NIPR Secretariat in Abuja, where he led senior officials of the AVCNU. He described the visit as a celebration of a shared commitment between both institutions towards nation-building through effective communication, quality education, and the promotion of excellence in public service.
“NIPR has consistently championed integrity, transparency, and professionalism—values that strongly align with the mission and vision of Nigerian universities,” he stated.
He also commended NIPR’s leadership for its remarkable strides in strengthening public relations practice in Nigeria.
Professor Haruna expressed his desire for closer collaboration between NIPR and AVCNU in areas such as strategic communication, research partnerships, and capacity building. He emphasised that such a partnership would help bridge existing gaps in Nigeria’s education and communication sectors.
Highlighting the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria, he noted:
“Not many people understand the complexity of establishing and managing universities. In just 20 years, we have seen the number of universities grow to 200. This raises critical issues around manpower, facilities, and space. JAMB records two million applicants annually, yet our universities can only accommodate about 700,000 students.
“So, what happens to the remaining 1.3 million? This partnership with NIPR will provide a platform to communicate these challenges and opportunities to the public, fostering a better understanding of the Nigerian higher education landscape.”
In response, NIPR Acting President, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura, warmly received Professor Haruna and his team, describing him as a mentor and a distinguished scholar who has served Nigeria meritoriously over the decades. He expressed gratitude for Professor Haruna’s role as co-chair of the Citizens’ Summit report writing committee, which produced the publication “Rebooting Nigeria”.
Professor Dandaura acknowledged the existing relationship between NIPR and AVCNU and welcomed the proposal for deeper collaboration. He accepted the invitation for NIPR to partner with AVCNU, particularly in research, capacity building for university communication officers and the development of specialised onshore and offshore training programmes for university leaders in public relations, grant writing, and leadership.
This partnership, he noted, would be instrumental in enhancing public understanding of the challenges and opportunities within Nigeria’s higher education sector.
