By Hadiza Isyaku Abdulsalam
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and Central South University (CSU), China, have agreed to reactivate and expand their 3+2 double degree partnership, which was initiated in 2017.
The Public Affairs Directorate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, announced this in a statement, on 21st December, 2025, following a virtual meeting between the two parties.
The academic collaboration between the two institutions began in 2017 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework with the aim of promoting cooperation and development between China and Africa in the field of education.
The Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Adamu Ahmed who provided a historical context of the partnership during the online meeting, stressed that the collaboration remains a flagship model for engineering education in Nigeria.
Professor Ahmed, expressed profound appreciation to the CSU leadership for what he described as a highly productive virtual meeting. He said, Ahmadu Bello University was deeply encouraged by central South University interest in reactivating the landmark 3+2 double degree program.
The program will allow students to complete three years at Ahmadu Bello University and two years at Central South University in China, graduating with degrees from both institutions.
During the virtual meeting, Professor Ahmed led a six-member team from ABU, including key stakeholders from the Faculty of Engineering and the Directorate of Advancement and International Education while the CSU team was led by Vice-Chancellor Li Zhihong, accompanied by senior management staff from various faculties.
They also agreed to include the staff exchange programs, joint research supervision, and other collaborative academic ventures in the new agreement.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated the CSU for their openness to expand the collaboration into critical frontiers such as medical life sciences, renewable energy, and computer Engineering.
The reactivation of the partnership is expected to strengthen academic ties between Nigeria and China, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation in education and research with both institutions look forward to exploring new opportunities and collaborations in the future.