West African universities should produce graduates who will meet the needs of the entire sub-region, as differences in education systems constitute a challenge of trans-border research, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, says.

The registrar made the appeal in a paper he presented at the Sixth Annual International Conference of West Africa Universities at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar.

“Our universities must be made not to limit their visions to the production of graduates only the needs of their various nations (markets).

“The challenges of trans-border research has been identified to include the differences in the education systems in the sub-region, weak internal assessment mechanism and superficial external quality assurance system.

“Proliferation of private and public higher education institutions as a result of liberalisation of education is also part of the challenges,” Oloyede said, according to a statement signed by JAMB’s Spokesman, Dr Fabian Benjamin, on Sunday in Lagos.

The conference had the theme: “Trans-border Education and Research; Quality Assurance Implications for African Universities’’.

It was aimed at bringing together academics in West Africa to jointly come up with research proposals and execute same together to find solutions to challenges facing the sub-region.

Oloyede also called on universities in the sub-region to set aside a certain percentage of their admission space for international students.

“This way, universities in the sub-region can compete with their counterparts globally,” he said.

According to him, universities must live up to their primary mandate of teaching, research and community development to be able to understand problems of the sub-region and proffer solutions.

He called for development of appropriate policies, mechanisms and structures to streamline and strengthen efforts geared toward ensuring quality, relevance and excellence in African universities’ research and education network.

Oloyede advised candidates in the sub region desiring to study in Nigeria to take advantage of the board’s application documents which would be on sale from December.

He said that the documents would be made available at all Nigerian missions abroad.

He gave the assurance that scholarship would be offered to some foreigners who would perform exceptionally in the board’s examination.