Ahmadu Bello University Urges Alumni-Industry Collaboration to Enhance Learning and Innovation
Highlighting the need for a structured platform to facilitate this interaction, Prof. Bala pointed to the importance of industry-alumni collaboration in achieving ABU’s vision of pioneering new ideas and advancing knowledge.
Binye-lum 
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, must establish stronger connections between academia and industry through active engagement with its alumni, according to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kabiru Bala. Highlighting the need for a structured platform to facilitate this interaction, Prof. Bala pointed to the importance of industry-alumni collaboration in achieving ABU’s vision of pioneering new ideas and advancing knowledge.
The Vice-Chancellor’s remarks were made at the commissioning and handover of a solar system to the Faculty of Law, donated by ABU's LLB Class of 1978. Represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed Doko Ibrahim, Prof. Bala referenced the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, in which ABU secured the second position in Nigeria, with research quality identified as its strongest pillar.
He underscored that alumni from diverse fields—judges, engineers, lawyers, and administrators—should be invited to contribute their expertise to the university. "We must provide a platform where our alumni can deliver lectures to enrich teaching and research at ABU," he said.
Prof. Bala also emphasized the critical role of the ABU Endowment Foundation in expanding financial support for the university amid limited government funding. He called on the Directorate of Advancement and International Education (DAIE) to develop strategies that align with the university’s sustainability goals and facilitate alumni engagement.
The initiative, he noted, would harness alumni knowledge and industry insights, helping to create an enabling environment that aligns with ABU's mission to foster learning and innovative practices.
