1. Executive Summary
The Bridging Borders: Transnational Education Pathways between the UK and Nigeria project is a strategic initiative funded under the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships (TNE Exploratory Grant). Led by the Centre for African Social and Economic Transformation (CASET) at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), in collaboration with the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), and Covenant University (CU), the project aims to strengthen capacity for transnational education (TNE), enhance entrepreneurship education (EE), and establish sustainable UK–Nigeria academic partnerships.
This report provides a consolidated account of progress to date, achievements against objectives, the integration of gender and inclusion principles, and the next steps toward institutional sustainability and long-term impact.
2. Project Background and Strategic Context
The Bridging Borders initiative responds to the global need for equitable transnational education frameworks, particularly within rapidly growing African higher education systems. Through CASET’s broader mandate, the project seeks to address structural gaps in curriculum innovation, pedagogical development, and international collaboration between UK and Nigerian institutions.
The project is aligned with the strategic objectives of participating universities, British Council TNE frameworks, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
3. Project Objectives and Institutional Alignment
The project is structured around four core objectives:
Capacity Building: Strengthen academic leadership and pedagogical capability in entrepreneurship education.
Curriculum Enhancement: Introduce innovative teaching, assessment, and interdisciplinary methodologies.
TNE Partnership Development: Formalise institutional agreements to enable dual awards and joint programme delivery.
Joint Research Initiatives: Develop collaborative research networks, shared funding proposals, and dissemination platforms.
These objectives align with institutional internationalisation agendas and British Council’s mandate to enhance the quality and reach of UK TNE provision.
4. Progress and Achievements to Date
4.1 Capacity Building
A total of 122 academic and professional staff were trained across three Nigerian universities (UNILAG – 40, UI – 50, CU – 32). Training was delivered through 12 virtual workshops over a 10-week period (April–June 2025) via Microsoft Teams.
The programme covered experiential learning, interdisciplinary approaches, digital delivery, inclusive pedagogy, and assessment strategies. Evaluation feedback indicated an average rating above 4.0/5 across all quality metrics, with a 30% increase in participant confidence to deliver inclusive entrepreneurship education.
4.2 Curriculum Enhancement
Post-training engagement shows strong commitment to embedding modern teaching methodologies into entrepreneurship curricula. Participants reported intent to adopt case studies, simulation tools, and student innovation platforms. While full curriculum revision is ongoing, institutional capacity for transformation has been significantly strengthened.
Formal TNE partnerships now provide the structural framework required for co-developed curricula and long-term academic exchange.
4.3 TNE Partnership Development
Formal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been established between UWE Bristol and UNILAG, UI, and CU. These agreements include provisions for:
Joint curriculum design
Dual degree pathways and progression models
Faculty and student mobility (future phases)
Quality assurance alignment
These developments position the project to transition from exploratory to implementation phases of TNE delivery.
4.4 Joint Research Initiatives
Research working groups have been established to co-author proposals, secure external funding, and prepare academic outputs. Planned publications will focus on inclusive pedagogy, entrepreneurship curriculum reform, and TNE policy frameworks.
A major public dissemination event in Nigeria is planned to engage stakeholders across higher education, government, and industry. Post-event project evaluation will assess institutional impact and inform strategic scaling.
5. Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Equity and inclusion have been systematically integrated into the project. Key achievements include:
50% gender-balanced participation across all training cohorts.
Dedicated module: BBP-003 – Gender Inclusive/Socially Equitable Learning Environments.
Inclusion of gender-sensitive case studies and frameworks in curriculum workshops.
Engagement with female academic leaders through IFTDO-CYWEE to champion inclusive pedagogy.
The collection of gender-disaggregated data and exposure to international gender networks have positioned institutions to drive internal policy reforms.
6. Challenges and Lessons Learned
No significant regulatory or cultural challenges were reported. Operational lessons include:
Need for ongoing implementation support post-training.
Demand for hybrid and in-person follow-up workshops.
Recommendation for formal certification to promote institutional recognition.
The primary challenge remains translating training outcomes into formal curriculum adoption, necessitating continued institutional engagement and monitoring.
7. Next Steps and Sustainability
The next project phase will focus on:
Development of dual-degree curriculum frameworks.
Launch of research collaborations and dissemination events.
Monitoring institutional uptake of inclusive pedagogical practices.
Exploration of extended British Council and UKRI funding for scale-up.
The sustainability model is anchored in institutional agreements, research collaboration, and knowledge transfer mechanisms.
8. Conclusion
The Bridging Borders project has delivered tangible progress toward strengthening TNE capacity, enhancing pedagogical expertise, and formalising UK–Nigeria institutional partnerships. It has established a scalable foundation for joint academic programmes, inclusive curriculum reform, and cross-border knowledge exchange.
The project remains strategically aligned with national education priorities, British Council policy objectives, and global development frameworks. Continued investment in dissemination and implementation will ensure a lasting legacy in transforming entrepreneurship education across Nigerian higher education institutions.