(LINCROFT, NJ) -- Brookdale Community College signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Africa Universities Fund, Inc. (AUF) on February 22, 2022, that expands Brookdale's educational offerings and training opportunities to a worldwide audience.
"We are excited to be able to bring the Brookdale Community College education around the world," said Dr. David M. Stout, president of Brookdale Community College. "This is the first time that we are going across the ocean to leverage the reach and power of online remote learning, which will be beneficial not only to the students of Nigeria but also tremendously beneficial to our students. This will give them the opportunity to have connections and live interaction with people from another country who share similar goals and dreams."
AUF strives to inspire, nurture and harness the skills, creativity, and employability of millions of young people in Africa by creating awareness and advancing opportunities for skills-based teaching and learning at the higher education level.
“I want to extend my appreciation to the Board of Trustees for supporting our mission and to Dr. Stout for his leadership,” said Dr. Joe Madu, founder and president at USAfrica Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the AUF Board of Directors. “Additionally, I am grateful to Dr. Janice Thomas, director of the International Education Center and Mr. Ed Johnson, executive director of Governmental Affairs and Community Relations at Brookdale, for their untiring efforts to build bridges and break barriers and be a source of light."
Through partnerships and collaboration with higher education institutions, AUF is committed to extending critical resources and opportunities to empower young people in Africa by democratizing access to education and training in science and technology.
"If we can have people trained in the new Data Science Option that Brookdale offers, then they would be able to contribute to their country and families," said Mr. Chijike K. Ndukwu, M.Sc., MS., secretary-general of AUF. "Providing the best higher education opportunities in the world, especially American education, to young people from Africa is an element that reaffirms the economic, cultural, and social bond that exists between Africa and the United States of America."
This partnership will facilitate the enrollment of Nigerian students to Brookdale's academic and certificate programs: in-person and online. In addition, support students enrolling in "future of work" STEM fields such as Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D printing, Data science, and other areas that strengthen young people's knowledge and skills in the digital economy.
AUF plans to equip The Future of Work Africa Learning Center in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This center will provide a remote live learning center for students enrolled in Brookdale's online courses and additionally serve as a resource center for information about U.S. higher education and Brookdale in particular.
"This is a very great idea, and I want to thank your school for letting us use your platform and your expertise and staff and for reaching out to make a difference in other parts of the world," said Ms. Magdalene Venn, board member of AUF.
