Internationalization of information science education in Nigeria

Abstract

Information and knowledge management have become very crucial to the growth and development of countries around the world, including African countries. This is also true about the importance of information science education. This truth has already been accepted in Africa, including Nigeria, where the joint effort of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) led to the establishment of the Africa Regional Center for Information Science (ARCIS) in 1990. The primary objective set for ARCIS was for it, as a regional Center, to internationalize its processes, functions and curriculum. This paper, relying on both primary and secondary data, examines the issue of internationalization of information science education in Nigeria with practical examples reported from experiences at ARCIS. It highlights current achievements ARCIS has recorded in its internationalization efforts, challenges it faces due to the political experiences in Nigeria and competing needs of units and departments at the University of Ibadan, as well as the prospects of ARCIS internationalization efforts. In the end, it is concluded that the internationalization future for ARCIS is bright.