ABUJA: On Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, the Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, fnipr, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Embassy of Poland in Abuja. The visit is about the University’s growing commitment to forging international partnerships that will expand opportunities for staff mobility, student exchange, research collaboration, and cultural dialogue.
Accompanying the Vice Chancellor were the Director of Collaboration and Linkages, Prof. Ngozi Joe-Ikechebelu; Prof. Sylvia Okonkwo; Prof. Kingsley Nwozor; and COOU’s benefactor from Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Dr. K’tso Nghargbu, alongside Dr. Blessing Abecan John, Deputy Director, Linkages and International Corporation, NSUK
Speaking during the visit, Prof. Joe-Ikechebelu emphasized that COOU already has a history of interaction with the Polish Embassy and that the present mission was to deepen cooperation. According to her, “This partnership reflects the promises of our Vice Chancellor—to give staff and students real opportunities through linkages with global institutions. What we are building here is a future of research, publications, exchanges, and innovation that place COOU on the global map.”
Welcoming the delegation, the Chargé d’Affaires of Poland in Nigeria, Mr. Michal Cygan, expressed delight at receiving the Vice Chancellor and her team. He described the visit as “a first of many fruitful engagements” and praised COOU’s vision of becoming the Now University and of the Future. According to him, “The Polish government is strongly committed to academic excellence. That is why our team here is made up of academics who understand the value of strong collaborations. With the background COOU already has, we are confident that this will not be about starting from scratch, but about building on a solid foundation. We look forward to meeting the University community in person to strengthen these bonds.”
Mr. Cygan further stressed that Nigeria remains a critical intellectual hub in Africa and that partnering with institutions like COOU provides a practical way to leverage knowledge for development. He noted that science, innovation, and student-focused initiatives would form a major thrust of the collaboration, but emphasized that the University must continue to lead the way in driving its aspirations.
In her response, Prof. Omenugha expressed profound gratitude to the Polish Embassy for the warm reception and reiterated the purpose of the visit. “We are here to extend a hand of friendship and to seek affinity with the people of Poland. At COOU, we run with the philosophy of the 3Vs—Visibility, Value, and Viability. Our mission is to produce graduates who are globally competitive, exportable, and of the highest quality. This is a vision we know the Polish government shares, and together we can make it a reality,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor also highlighted the University’s uniqueness as a custodian of Igbo culture, heritage, and artifacts. She proposed a mutual cultural exchange that would see Polish scholars and students come to COOU to study Igbo language and traditions, while COOU students visit Poland to experience and learn from their culture. “This kind of cross-cultural immersion is vital in building the kind of global citizens our world needs today,” she added.
Her remarks found strong support from Associate Professor Patryk Zajàc, who promised to facilitate COOU’s linkages with the African Language and Culture Centre at the University of Warsaw. This, he noted, would ensure that the partnership not only flourishes in science and research but also strengthens the cultural bridge between Nigeria and Poland.
Other officials from the Embassy who joined in the discussions included Associate Professor Maciej Klósak (First Secretary, Head of Political and Economic Section) and Associate Professor Patryk Zajàc (Third Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs).
As COOU continues to broaden its global footprint under the leadership of Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha, the University is steadily fulfilling its vision of being the Now University and of the Future, a place where knowledge, culture, and innovation intersect to shape destinies and transform societies.
©COOUNewS, 2025
