Ahmed Chafe of the Usmanu Danfodyo University announced last week that ten institutions in the North West of Nigeria led by his institution signed a communique to establish the Sokoto Research and Education Network in a workshop held on the 18th November 2011. The World Bank/STEP-B assisted workshop was attended by representatives of the following institutions;
- Usmanu Danfodiyo University
- Federal College of Education Technical, Gusau
- Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto
- Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi
- School of Nursing Sciences, Sokoto
- Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero
- Sokoto State Polytechnic, Sokoto
- Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara
- Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda
The week long workshop included a training on campus network and systems administration as well as presentation of papers on the formation of the Nigerian Research and Education Network and experiences of Eko-Konnect as a template for establishing regional clusters. More information at http://sokren.udusok.edu.ng.
Clusters connected by a high-speed national backbone has emerged as the preferred strategy for the establishment of the Nigerian REN as proximity fosters the creation of the human and physical networks required for a viable R&E community. The chair of the Eko-Konnect board of Trustees, Prof. Charles Uwadia commented that Eko-Konnect and SokREN will continue their pioneering work and establish interconnection as momentum continues to build in the other regions.
