Collaborative Approaches to Achieving Standardized Quality In Global Education
Dr. Ikechi Agbugba | Contributor on Agribusiness Topics
At the University of Greenwich Global Sustainable Education and Leadership Conference, powerful collaborations took center stage in the quest for standardized quality in global education. Dr. Ikechi K. Agbugba, a leading policymaker, academic, and Global Mentor of Change Awardee, captivated the audience with his groundbreaking insights. Through inspiring feedback, lessons, and success stories, he showcased how partnerships can drive transformative change. As the pioneer of the Brain Re-Engineering Initiative, Dr. Agbugba underscored the urgent need to unite for a future of equitable, world-class education for all.
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As captured on York St University page, it was a historic moment for the academic don, Dr Ikechi Agbugba to pay a visit to the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster Abbey, London to culminate the 2-day event at the University of Greenwich Global Sustainable Education and Leadership Conference.
Driving Sustainable Global Education and Leadership
Collaborative approaches involve people working together to achieve a unique goal, and can be used in a variety of contexts, especially in the education space. Such initiatives could center around group works or client-therapist approach.
On the other hand, standardized quality in global education can be actualized when global standards are employed in evaluating, measuring or assessing the level of consistency in the learning across education methodologies.
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Truly, leadership or governance plays a crucial role in driving sustainable education through the following ways: Influencing and formulating of policies; Sustainable education is an educational approach that aims to instil in students, schools, and communities the values and motivations to act for sustainability.
Some principles of sustainable leadership include having an ecocentric, systemic, and long-term mindset; Establishing a cross-boundary leadership network; Exercising influence without authority; Working with complexity; and recognizing the importance of leading oneself.
At the University of Greenwich Conference: Emphasis and Highpoints
Interestingly, the theme of the conference was pitched as follows: Collaboratively Fostering Sustainable Education for Global Transformation. This epoch-making event was organised by the African Scholars Care Initiative (ASCI) and the University of Greenwich in London.
Truly, for sustainable education to drive global transformation is a powerful reality which forebears on equipping leaders with the right knowledge, skills, values, and attitude needed to contribute to a more sustainable future.
This seemingly inclusive educational model is essential and fortified to unlock equitable quality education with lifelong learning privileges. As a matter of fact, the vital aspects of this sustainable educational approach revolve around the following the following article Dr. Ikechi Agbugba at The House of Lords, The Palace of Westminster Abbey for Global Transformation.
Curriculum & Pedagogy; Learning Environment; Skills Development; as well as Access & Equity. I wish to reckon that UNESCO is on the front lines in driving transformative education for sustainable global development which focuses on empowering learners to make informed decisions and take action at individual, community, and global levels.
I must give kudos to former Nigeria’s beauty queen Joy Osomiamhe-Onumajuru, founder ASCI, Renato Goodfellow (CEO Commercis), Pierre Montersino, Paul Ladd (Past Director, UNDRISD), Dr Angela Marie Sayles (Women Ambassador and Entrepreneurship Developer, Ohio USA), H.E.
Dr Morie Manyeh (Sierra Leonean Ambassador to the UK), Cllr Naima Ali (Mayor of London Borough of Southwark), Katie Ballantyne (Director, Entrepreneurship Business College, Uni of Greenwich), Professor Simon Hepburne (CEO, Security Institute), Dr Olufemi Bakre (MD, Parallex Bank), Engr Dr Emeka Ani (Director ICT, NDDC), Engr Billy Pedro, among others.
Collaborative Procedures To Achieving Standardized Quality In Global Education
In a panel with Timothy Cox, Dr Sallyanne Decker, Dr Alice Paola Pome and Joy Osomiamhe-Onumajuru, Dr Ikechi Agbugba highlighted the bottlenecks hindering inclusive standardized education from a global perspective revolving around social and cultural issues which can be overcome when teaching and learning materials are made available in multiple languages, using simple vocabulary, and employing interpreters, when necessary, helps ensure that everyone can participate fully. This strategy, the Chinese and some other Asian nations are assiduously and brilliantly leveraging upon.
Based on my personal experience with learners at York St John University London Campus, where I have supervised over forty students, I could boldly attest to this fact.
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More so, as a formidable strategy for driving sustainable and standardized quality in global education, I highlighted on the relevance of facilitating some understanding (maybe in a Memorandum of Understanding) between and amongst educational institutions in global north and global south economies.
As a matter of fact, Dr Ikechi Agbugba has spearheaded such collaboration between Rivers State University and the University of Rwanda. In support of this initiative, Louis Brown in her publication on the importance of strategic partnerships in education.
Such partnerships help to level the playing field, boost social mobility, and equip young people with the essential life skills that would serve them well throughout their careers and personal lives.
According to Brown, she emphasized that: ‘‘research shows that these partnerships not only support academic achievement but also foster greater well-being, helping students develop resilience, confidence, and the mindset needed to succeed in the modern world.’’
From his perspectives, Dr Ikechi Agbugba drew inferences from his presentation on ‘Brain Re-engineering and Driving Change: Role of Leadership in Fostering Entrepreneurial Innovation’ at the Entrepreneurs Network and Business Advancement Summit.
He alluded that brain re-engineering can be adapted to driving quality, standards, and sustainability in leadership as it acts as a catalyst for innovation within entrepreneurial ecosystems.
You might like to see Brain Re-Engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy for Early Career Academics in Agriculture and Food Systems Research
He highlighted actionable strategies that could inspire sustainable growth across the global south. He also underscored that driving the desired positive changes in leadership using the brain re-engineering model unlock transformation in businesses.
As a Senior Academic Member to a good number of institutions, as well as Advisory Board Member at Saudi Education Technology and Collective Alliance (SETCA), I could boldly underscore that the Middle Eastern nation is leveraging on the dimensions of language of the younger generation in tech savvy and sports to unlock their educational model which promises a viable, sustainable and entrepreneurship model to drive inclusive education all things remaining equal.
More so, creation of understanding between and amongst educational institutions could also help in driving the desired change, as well as inclusivity, sustainability in fostering curriculum and pedagogic development amongst stakeholders.
At the House of Lords – Palace of Westminster
Highlights of the dinner party ended with a section on Honorary Doctorate Degree awards from City University of Paris, France to 5 distinguished personalities for their meritorious contributions and leadership roles they have played in the spheres and sectors of economies of nations. The Honorary award recipients are as follows:
Agbugba, a respected academic, educationist visit to House of Lords, Place of Westminster:
- Olufemi Bakre (MD, Parallex Bank)
- Angela Marie Sayles, (Executive Director, Institution of Financial Unity)
- Eleonora Bonacossa (Founder, ARETA)
- Engr Emeka Ani (Director ICT, NDDC) and
- Mrs Patricia Matu Bah (Director, Teenage Pregnancy Secretariat).
Conclusion/Recommendations:
It is noteworthy that standardized education can be a key variable in how teaching and learning approaches are measured. Nevertheless, some factors could necessitate students’ educational quality, and are as follows:
- Guaranteeing students remain in school till the closure of school hours as this could strengthen their knowledge and skill on any subject.
- Addressing disparities in education based on some socio-economic factors such as age, sex, and location, among other socio-demographic variables.
- Rural frameworks in the form of educational infrastructure should be provided in global south nations.
Therefore, nurturing quality education could be achieved in the following ways:
- Corroborating that quality education is accessible to all learners.
- Creating some system for ease in tracking and assessing students’ progress
- Ensuring that teachers are well-trained and equipped
- Guaranteeing that resources are adequately provided in schools
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References
Agbugba, Ikechi (2024). “Brain Re-engineering and Driving Change: Role of Leadership in Fostering Entrepreneurial Innovation.” The Entrepreneurs Network and Business Advancement Summit 2024 Virtual Conference, November 2024.
Agbugba, Ikechi (2023). Brain Re-engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy form Rebranding Agriculture and Youth Engagement in Promoting Food Production. European Modern Studies Journal, 7(5), 213 – 223. Accessed from: https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/10221/
Agbugba, I.K. & Okoye, F. I. (2024) Early Career Academics’ Development in Africa: Reflections on the Brain Re-Engineering Concept as Formal institutionalized Mentoring Options. In: Ndofirepi, A., Pietersen, D., Sepeng, P., Fru, R., Alan, F. & Mapuya, M. (eds.) Early Career Academics in Educational Research. African Higher Education: Developments and Perspectives (18). BRILL, 138-162. Available at: https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11148/
Brown, L. (2024). The Importance of Strategic Partnerships in Education. Accessed from: https://conservativehome.com/2024/11/22/louise-brown-the-importance-of-strategic-partnerships-in-education/
About Dr Ikechi Agbugba
Dr Ikechi Agbugba is an academic member of the York St John University London University Campus. He is an educational consultant with a focus on transformation in the food and agribusiness industry, as well as entrepreneurship, environment, and sustainability space.
Among other institutions, Dr Ikechi has teaching and researcher experiences at the University of Fort Hare, Rivers State University, Rome Business School, University of Birmingham, Writtle University College (now Anglia Ruskin University), University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Limpopo, Tennessee State University, and Lovely Professional University.
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Dr Ikechi is the Pioneer of the Brain Re-engineering Initiative, which forbears on attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals Agenda. His model is already highlighted in the Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA.
Dr Ikechi has twice consulted for the United Nations as a Diaspora Expert in the Connecting Diaspora to Development Project spearheaded under the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the Hague Office and carried out at Ubiaja, Edo State Nigeria and NIHORT, Ibadan Nigeria. He serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Saudi Education Technology and Collective Alliance (SETCA).
Interestingly, Dr Ikechi has received numerous awards as Global Mentor of Change and Global Emerging Leader by the Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade (GCPIT) in 2022; and Agro Economist of Year by the Pan African Agricultural Journalists (PAAJ) in 2017.
Dr. Ikechi and Dr Beatrice Bischof work together on an educational model and foreign ecosystem captioned as PETS, an acronym that stands for Policy-Economy-Technology-Society. This approach is channeled to African Farmers to build their capacities and unlock their potentials in driving economy-wide growth.
Some Links: https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/10221/1/19%2BIkechi%2BKelechi%2BAgbugba%2C%2Bpp.%2B213-223%2Bed.pdf
