Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has established centres for the conduct of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examinations.
The internationalisation dreams of the founding fathers of the University and present Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako recently became a reality with the inauguration of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Test Centres in the University.
With the inauguration, the Centres are now fully operational for the conduct of the IELTS and TOEFL examinations which are for different professionals, young graduates and families that intend to study, work or migrate abroad.
Formally declaring the Centre open, the Vice-Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) and Chairman of the Board of the International Centre for Professional Development (ICPD), Professor Lateef Sanni disclosed that the University started the quest for internationalisation under the Professor Olaiya Balogun led administration.
According to him, what the University had in mind with the concept of internationalization and globalization was how best to brand and sell the University to the outside world.
Expressing satisfaction at the timing of the achievement, the Chairman ICPD Board said, “It is good that under the leadership of Prof Felix Salako we are actualizing the dream of globalizing because the best way to globalize is for you within your own small cocoon to host the global world and that is what we are doing today. We are hosting the global world”.
Enumerating the benefits of having the Test Centres in the University, Professor Salako disclosed that “it will create quite a lot of traffic on the University website, bring about a lot of opportunities and positive things to our University”.
He charged the invigilators who will be working with the Centre to be good ambassadors of the University, stressing that they must execute the task professionally, be timely, smart and passionate in their assigned roles.
The Vice-Chancellor also revealed that other plans are in the pipeline for the University’s internationalization drive to include the upscaling of the International hotel, completion of the swimming pool and in the nearest future step-up Agrotourism.
According to him, as a University, Agrotourism will fetch money into the University, adding that the climax will be for the University to have a helicopter. “If we have helicopter landing in FUNAAB it will be great. That is the dream of the Vice-Chancellor”.
Earlier in his presentation, the representative of the MOD IELTS Australia, Mr. Adeola Ogunsemowo congratulated the University for meeting up with the requirements needed to be a recognized Centre for the Test.
According to him, “we came here and proposed our standard and it was put in place in no time at all. When we came the last time, we were quite impressed with everything that we saw and now everyone that will come to write the test here will perform at their best which is what we want and they will be able go out and say IELTS brand in FUNAAB is one of the best Centres nationwide”.
He explained that IELTS is an English proficiency test that is recognized worldwide, adding that “the University will be running the test for the first time on Saturday June 29, 2019 and subsequently, once every month.”.
Mr. Ogunsemowo noted that the collaboration with the University will open pathways for different opportunities in the University because different professionals, young graduates and families that intend to study, work or migrate abroad and who are planning to write the IELTS test across the country will now see FUNAAB as a choice destination for their IELTS test on any given day.
According to him, “this will mean that subsequently, any candidate that would want to write the examination within Abeokuta would have to come to the University to write the test”.
The ICPD Centre Manager, Mr. Lawrence Kazeem in his Welcome Address appreciated the University Management for the faith reposed in him to actualize the dream of getting the Centre running and for always acceding to all his requests towards the realization of the Centre.
Corroborating the Vice-Chancellor, he said the IELTS and TOEFL Centre will provide a great source of IGR for the University, give the University global recognition, attract a lot of traffic to the University website as well as increase the University’s web ranking.