Westminster College, Lagos, one of the top secondary schools in the country, is in partnership with 20 overseas universities that will give direct admission to students for courses of their choice on successful completion of the university foundation programme at the college.
Chief Johnson Barovbe, Managing Director, disclosed this while addressing the parents of Westminster College at an interactive session. He said the programme is a one year course after completion of senior secondary school (SSS 3), and listed three areas of benefits.
These are:
•Admission — Students are to get direct admission into courses of their choice in any of the partner universities in the United Kingdom, Canada , Ukraine or Hungary, after successfully completing the university foundation programme at Westminster College Lagos.
•Savings — Parents will save good amount of foreign exchange for the one year their wards will spend at Westminster College, Lagos, before proceeding overseas.
•Travelling Visa — Westminster College and its partner universities in the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Hungary and Canada will assist students in obtaining their travelling visa on successful completion of the foundation programme.
Chief Johnson Barovbe explained that on completion of the university foundation programme, students who intend to study at the University of Buckingham, the only private university in the United Kingdom will spend two full years to complete their first degree courses at the University of Buckingham.
L-R: Vice chancellor, University of Burkuham Dr. Terence Kealey; The University of Buckingham International Foundation Programme Director, dr. Frances Robinson, and Managing Director, Westminster College Lagos Nigeria, Chief Johnson Barovbe. (August 2009 at Buckingham University UK)
“There is something about the University of Buckingham degree courses which we think parents have to know. The degree courses in Law, Business and Economics at the University of Buckingham are highly rated all over the world and that apart, the University is well known for looking after the welfare of international students.”
He stated that out of the 20 universities Westminster College is working with, 18 are in Britain, one in Canada and the University of Debrecen, Medical School in Hungary. Some of the degree courses that students of the college are being prepared for are Medicine, Chemical Science, Business Management, Accounting, Economics, Computer Science, Electronics engineering, Drama and Media studies, Law, Languages, Mathematical sciences and Medical Related subjects.
Others are Natural Sciences, Marketing with Media Communication, International studies, Civil and Structural Engineering, Architecture, International Studies with Journalism, Journalism with Communication studies, Biomedical Science and Construction Management.
According to the MD, in order to cater for all grades of students, the management decided to admit students into the Advance level, Cambridge General Certificate of Education, (GCE) classes. That the University of Cambridge, UK, has made Westminster College, Lagos, an examination centre for IGCSE and A-level GCE. Already, the college is preparing students for the June 2010 University of Cambridge Advance level GCE.
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION STUDENTS (2011)
“Our plan is to admit our students who have completed SS3 and students from other schools and colleges for the University Foundation programme and GCE Advance level. We have good facilities for all incoming students, accommodation for boarding students, computer laboratory with internet facilities, an expanse of land for sports and games and separate dining halls for the university foundation and Advance level GCE students.”
On academic staff, Barovbe acknowledged that the success of any university programme depends highly on the caliber of teachers.
“We can conveniently authenticate that Westminster College is well staffed with experienced and professionally qualified teachers for qualitative teaching, enthusiastic learning, vigorous extra-curriculum activities and attentive pastoral care,” he affirmed.
It was acknowledged at the forum that students should be encouraged to go and study in good universities anywhere in the world, provided parents can afford to pay. That Nigeria had good universities in the past, but not so today, with many of them plagued by cultism, incessant strikes by lecturers and massive disruption of academic calendar.
“There are many parents who prefer to send their children to study in overseas universities to have a world view. They cannot be stopped. This is the opportunity being provided and also to expand admission for potential students to study for university degrees and help in nation building.”
The partner universities are:
1 University of Nottingham
2 University of Dundee
3 University of Essex
4 Queen’s University Belfast
5 University of Surrey
6 University of Salford
7 University of Plymouth
8 University of Worcester
9 Liverpool John Moores University
10 University of Hertfordshire
11 University of Hull
12 University of Buckingham
13 University of Beldfordshire
14 University of East London
15 University of Huddersfield
16 University of Bolton
17 Middlesex University
18 University of Wales Newport
19 University of Dubrecen, Medical School, Hungary
20 Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
And ten Universities in Ukraine (Medical schools).
Apart from the above Universities, Westminster College Lagos is in partnership with Commonwealth Education Online