The African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, has expressed its desire to attract the best and brightest from across Africa to enrol for post-graduate studies in science based courses.
President of the University, Prof. Wole Soboyejo said this in an interview to herald the 2013/2014 academic session in Abuja, on Friday.
He explained that the Institution which for now only runs post graduate programmes, was determined to kick start Africa's technological breakthrough through quality training and research.
Soboyejo said, "We have programmes in Petroleum Engineering which is now the most successful in our sib- region our students when they graduate from here are now getting jobs with companies such as: Total, Slunberger, Oando, Chevron, Mobil, all of the major companies as hiring our students and when they get hired, the get paid more to work in Africa than they would make anywhere else in the World.
"In fact, one of our students, Kunle Opawale ,as a result of his Master's thesis, had a chance to go and present his results abroad and was hired to go and work in Holland to recreate that technology, this is a student that was trained here, who developed his capabilities here. "
He explained that the institution which currently has a student population of 150, was prepared to offer full scholarships to the brightest of applicants who exhibit brilliance in academics.
According to the President, the university can currently accommodate 50 to 60 Master's degree students as well as 10 to 20 PhD students for its Petroleum Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering.
Other courses on offer include Theoretical Physics and Material Science and Engineering programmes in the 2013 academic session.
He equally explained that the ratio for admission is 40 per cent for Nigerians while the remaining 60 per cent is for the rest of Africa while all admissions would be based purely on merit.
