By Felix-Joe Chibunkem
It is no longer news that under the visionary leadership of Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) has anchored its transformation agenda on the 3Vs – Values, Viability, and Visibility. These pillars have become the driving force of an administration committed to repositioning the University as a global brand.
While the focus on Values and Viability remains strong, the University is currently experiencing a strategic surge in Visibility which is a deliberate effort to tell the COOU story to the world and engage with global benchmarks.
On Tuesday, 5th August, 2025, the University had the honour of hosting a high-level delegation from Times Higher Education (THE), led by Mr. Victor Okeugo, Regional Representative for West, Central, and East Africa. The visit was part of an ongoing consultation on how the University can position itself for global ranking among the top 500 universities in the world.
In his presentation, Mr. Okeugo emphasized the urgent need for COOU to amplify its global presence. He observed that while the University is making commendable academic and administrative strides, it must go beyond the conventional model common among many African institutions. Visibility, according to him, must be intentional, consistent, and data-driven.
Commending the Ag. Vice Chancellor for personally championing the University’s visibility efforts on platforms such as LinkedIn, Mr. Okeugo challenged the entire management team to follow suit. “If every leader in this University markets COOU the way your Ag. Vice Chancellor is doing, global ranking will no longer be a distant dream,” he remarked. He acknowledged that although the ranking journey may be rigorous, it is entirely within reach.
For Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, global ranking is not just a goal—it is a mission. Speaking passionately, she reminded the University community that the competition is global, and so must be our commitment. “The dream to be among the top 500 universities in the world is bold, but bold dreams are the ones worth chasing. The only price is consistency,” she said.
Reflecting on the state of the University when she assumed office, Prof. Omenugha described COOU as a “virgin land”—one that responds significantly to every meaningful impact. She emphasized the need for everyone—academic and non-academic staff, students, alumni, and friends of the University—to become active participants in this movement.
“I see myself as the Chief Marketer of COOU,” she said, referencing her consistent branding with University crests and taglines, even while attending events at Lincoln University, Kentucky State University, and various embassies abroad. “By the time I’m done speaking, COOU is no longer just in my mouth—it’s in the mouths of everyone I’ve met.”
She ended with a clarion call, calling on a to become evangelists of this dream. She pressured that COOU be in our words, on our clothes, in our hearts, and in our actions. For her, “If we do this together, the top 500 is not a question of ‘if’—it is a matter of ‘when’.”
Note that here, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University is not just rising; we are aiming. The world is watching and the University is ready to take its place among the top 500 universities in the world.
COOUNewS, 2025.
