The University of Ilorin’s Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) is set to join forces with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).
The collaboration, which was formalized on Friday, December 29, 2023, marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of synergy between academia and media expertise.
Welcoming Dapo Olorunyomi, the Publisher of Premium Times and CEO of CJID, Wahab Egbewole, the vice-chancellor of UNILORIN, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming partnership.
The collaborative efforts will encompass the development of training programs, content creation, proposals for interventions, and the production of academic and policy publications.
As a tangible outcome of this collaboration, two pioneering Master’s Degree programs are slated to commence in September 2024.
These programmes, meticulously designed to blend theory with practical application, are set to equip graduates with deployable competencies essential for addressing contemporary challenges.
The unique offerings include a “Collaborative Master’s in Digital Peace Building” and a “Master’s in Verification, Early Warning, & National Security.”
The selection of these specialized degrees and the assembly of a distinguished faculty were the result of a comprehensive audit that identified threats to peaceful co-existence and national security.
The imperative for scholars and practitioners to collaborate in enhancing the capabilities of key stakeholders in Nigeria’s security sector, media, civil society, and the general public emerged as a crucial insight.
Key figures involved in the discussions included Suleiman Ambali, the Deputy vice-chancellor (Management Services), Mr. Oba Abdulbarki, the acting Bursar, Kamaldeen Omopupa, the University Librarian, and Abdulkarim Oloyede, the acting director of the Centre for Research, Development and In-house Training (CREDIT).
Accompanying Dapo Olorunyomi to the vice-chancellor’s committee room were Professor Ibrahim Jawondo, the director of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, and Gbemisola Animasawun, an Associate Professor at the centre.
