COOU and NAU Launch €400,000 EU Erasmus+ DESIRED Research Grant Project with Take-off Workshop

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), in partnership with Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), has officially launched its first European Union (EU) Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education research grant, valued at €400,000.

This milestone reflects COOU’s continued drive toward internationalisation and academic excellence under the visionary leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, FNIPR, whose 3Vs Agenda—Values, Viability, and Visibility—has expanded the University’s global partnerships.

The DESIRED Project, titled Enhancing Employability of Accounting Graduates in Uganda and Nigeria by Integrating Employability Skills into Accounting Education Using the Work-Integrated Learning Approach, aims to bridge the gap between academic training and workplace demands. Over the 24-month project, it will equip accounting graduates in both countries with practical, job-ready skills through a Work-Integrated Learning model, support curriculum reforms, strengthen industry–academia partnerships, and create mobility opportunities for students and staff.

COOU collaborates with NAU, MAT ABACUS Business School, Makerere University Business School, Universidade de Lisboa, Stichting VU, and Sejjaaka Kaawaase & Co., with additional support from the Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility. The initiative is expected to benefit over 3,000 students and staff across partner institutions.

As part of initial activities, the Nigerian DESIRED Project Team held a Project Take-off Capacity Building Workshop on 5th November 2025 at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, COOU. The workshop focused on streamlining tasks, fostering collaboration, and ensuring project deliverables are met on schedule.

In her remarks, VC Professor Kate Omenugha welcomed the teams, reaffirming COOU’s full commitment and highlighting the project as an avenue to deepen international engagement and enhance academic standards. NAU Project Lead Professor Anthony Nnedum emphasized coordinated efforts, while COOU Research Lead Dr. Chukwunonso Ekesiobi outlined strategies for effective project execution. Heads of Departments of Accounting and Finance, Professors Sunday Anichebe and Gabriel Nkechukwu, were recognized as key stakeholders for mobilizing student participation.

The workshop concluded with a unified commitment from both universities to strengthen accounting education, enrich industry engagement, and improve graduate employability, ensuring the DESIRED Project creates lasting impact for students and the wider academic community.