Education

Russia Records Low Turnout of African Students in 2020

Published

5 years ago

04/04/2021

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

As federal government scholarships are highly limited, Russia’s educational institutions are ready to train more and more specialists on a tuition-paying basis for Africa.

There are plans to boost the number of African students, but currently, approximately 60% of the total African students are on private contracts in the Russian Federation.

“The present and the future of Russia-Africa relations is not about charity, it’s about co-development,” stated Evgeny Primakov, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), and also a member of the Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum.

The Secretariat of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was created last year and it works under the Russian Foreign Ministry. It has, under its aegis, three coordination councils namely business, public and scientific councils. Primakov heads the humanitarian council that deals with education and humanitarian questions for the Foreign Ministry.

While talking about initiatives especially the sphere of education in the relationship between Russia and Africa, Primakov explicitly pointed the changing state of affairs in education and added that the number of Russian state scholarships for African citizens – for the whole continent made up of 54 African countries – has only increased from 1765 in 2019 to 1843 in 2020. At the same time, the number of applications submitted has decreased.

According to Primakov, due to the coronavirus outbreak, some African governments have decided not to launch the application campaign for Russian universities for the academic year 2020/2021 as there are difficulties with transportation, safety, and financing scholarships allocated in the African state’s budget.

He, further, mentioned that the Russian system of higher education needs to be adapted to the new realities so that it could gain more value on the international market.

Reports made available indicate that the Russian Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation currently operates eight representative offices in Africa: Egypt, Zambia, Morocco, Republic of the Congo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa.

During Russia-Africa inter-party conference held in late March 2021, under the theme “Russia – Africa: Reviving Traditions” which was organized and hosted by the United Russia Party, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov offered an assuring signal in his speech that Russia is stepping up efforts to engage in multifaceted developments with Africa.

That Russia has a lot to offer to African countries in terms of mutually beneficial cooperation as it traditionally maintains very close relations with many of these countries in the continent.

Lavrov told the online gathering “in the past few years, Russia-Africa cooperation has been noticeably stepped up. We are deepening our political dialogue, developing inter-parliamentary ties, promoting cooperation between ministries and departments and expanding scientific and humanitarian exchanges.”

With the education and training of specialists for Africa, Lavrov said that “over 27,000 African students study in Russian universities.” Understandably, this represents a significant increase of 9,000 students, up from approximate 18,000 as the given figure in October 2019.

Just about four or five months after the first Russia-Africa summit, World Health Organization(WHO) declared a coronavirus pandemic, nearly all countries locked down and civilian (passenger) air transport or aviation links completely paralyzed throughout 2020.

Statistics on African students are, in fact, still staggering. When contacted, Russia’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education declined to give the current substantive figure for Africa.

In a transcript posted to the official website, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, answering questions at a meeting with the students and staff of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) University, in September 2019, nearly two months before the Sochi summit, pointed out that there were 15,000 Africans studying in Russia, and about a third (that is 5,000) of them had received scholarships provided by the Russian state.

That same year during the inter-parliamentary conference, Chairman of the State Duma, Viacheslav Volodin, was convinced that cultural and educational cooperation could be equally important areas that needed to be developed and intensified in Russian-African relations.

Volodin further suggested to continue discussing the issues of harmonizing legislation in the scientific and educational spheres and reminded us that hundreds of thousands of African students studied in the Soviet Union and Russia and that approximately 17,000 African students, the majority of them on private contracts, were studying in the Russian Federation.

On June 21, 2019, Dmitry Medvedev spoke at the opening of the 26th annual shareholders’ meeting of the African Export-Import Bank. One of the aspects of the relationships, he mentioned educational projects as particularly important and informed that 17,000 African students are studying in Russia, but hope that this figure will increase in future.

“Friends, of course, we can achieve more in all areas. We simply need to know each other better and be more open to one another,” he stressed in his speech.

In addition to the above, Professor Vladimir Filippov, Rector of the Russian University of People’s Friendship (RUDN), formerly Patrice Lumumba Friendship University, has underscored the fact that social attitudes toward foreigners first have to change positively, the need to create a multicultural learning environment, then the need to expand and deepen scientific ties between Russia and Africa.

Established in 1960 to provide higher education to Third World students, it later became an integral part of the Soviet cultural offensive in non-aligned countries. His university has gained international popularity as an educational and research institution located in southwest Moscow.

In order to earn revenue, Russia’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education has already launched a large-scale educational campaign abroad targeting to recruit private foreign students on tuition-paying contract annually into its educational institutions across the Russian Federation.

Experts from the Moscow based Center for Strategic Research indicated in an interview with this foreign correspondent that the percentage of Russian universities on the world market is considerably low. Due to this, there is a rare need to develop Russian education export opportunities, take progressive measures to raise interest in Russian education among foreigners.

As part of the renewed interest in Africa, Russia has been working on opportunities and diverse ways to increase the number of students, especially tuition-paying agreements for children of the growing elite families and middle-class from African countries at Russian universities.

Worth recalling that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to all African leaders and participants of the first Russia-Africa Summit published on the Kremlin website in October that year, that the summit would help identify new areas and forms of cooperation, put forward promising joint initiatives. Further hoped it would bring the collaboration between Russia and Africa to a qualitatively new level and contribute to the development of our economies and the prosperity for both parties.

Later at the plenary session, Putin reiterated that by the mid-1980s, Russia had built about a hundred educational establishments in Africa and half a million Africans have been trained for work at industrial companies and agricultural facilities in African countries. And that 17,000 Africans, including some 4,000 who on federal scholarships, were studying here in the Russian Federation.

It is worthy to say that Putin specifically noted the good dynamics of specialist training and education in Russian educational institutions for African countries. Russian and African participants mapped out broad initiatives in the sphere of education during the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi.

For the joint work, there was a final joint declaration, adopted by the participants after the Sochi summit. The document outlines a set of goals and objectives for the further development of Russian-African cooperation. The next Russia-Africa Summit, venue to be decided by African leaders, is planned for 2022.

Related Topics:African Students Vipusniki RUDN

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Education

45 Student-Led Startups Win N2.2bn from FG Ventures Initiative

Published

6 days ago

31/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Forty-five student-led ventures emerged as beneficiaries of a total pool of N2.2 billion in grants at the 2026 Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) Finalist Bootcamp.

The programme of the federal government marks a significant boost to youth innovation under its entrepreneurship drive, announced earlier this year.

At the bootcamp’s closing ceremony and awards presentation held at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Ikoyi, Lagos, the winners emerged after a rigorous selection process involving 65 finalists and assessment by a 12-member expert panel.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to transforming tertiary institutions into centres of innovation, entrepreneurship and practical problem-solving.

He described the S-VCG programme as a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at enabling students to convert ideas into viable businesses.

Mr Alausa noted that each beneficiary can access up to N50 million in equity-free funding, alongside mentorship, incubation support and digital tools.

He added that the programme attracted more than 30,000 applications from 404 tertiary institutions nationwide, reflecting the growing culture of innovation among Nigerian youth.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, commended participants for leveraging technology to develop solutions to real-world challenges.

He urged them to build scalable, tech-driven ventures capable of contributing to national development.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Education, Mrs Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, praised the finalists’ resilience and creativity, noting that initiatives like S-VCG are critical to nurturing problem-solving skills and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Mr Muntari Dandutse, called for sustained investment in youth innovation to strengthen Nigeria’s knowledge-based economy.

On his part, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit, Mr Adebayo Onigbanjo, outlined the structure and long-term objectives of the programme, stating that it is designed to equip students with the resources and confidence needed to build sustainable ventures.

Education

UniJos Suspends Exams Over Deadly Jos Attack

Published

1 week ago

30/03/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The University of Jos has suspended all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday following growing tension in Jos, after a deadly attack in Anguwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The management of the institution also advised students and staff to remain indoors and stay vigilant.

According to reports, the attackers, who rode on motorcycles, stormed the community at about 7:30 pm while residents were going about their normal activities, firing indiscriminately and causing panic.

Many people were killed, while several others sustained injuries in the attack.

“The attackers just rode past and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions,” a source told Channels Television.

The broadcaster also reported that in the aftermath of the attack, angry youths reportedly blocked major roads within the community, raising fears of escalating tension.

UniJos, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Mr Emmanuel Madugu, said the incident had heightened tension, necessitating the decision.

“In view of the late evening fatal attacks by unknown gunmen on residents of Angwan Rukuba (an area that hosts many staff and students of the University), and the consequential tensions it has generated in and around the area and environs.

“The Vice Chancellor has directed that all examinations scheduled to hold on Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, are postponed, and will be rescheduled accordingly. That members of the University community be advised to be very vigilant and extra careful with their movements (On and off Campus) with IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

“For emphasis, members are strongly advised to AVOID COMING OUT VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, and should REPORT IMMEDIATELY any sign or shadow of breach of the public peace to the University Security Division on 08035895323.

“University Management is actively liaising with the relevant Security agencies and monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the lives of members of the University community. Further relevant updates will be communicated in due course,” the deputy registrar added.

Education

8 Best Editing and Proofreading Services in 2026 for Academic Researchers

Published

1 week ago

27/03/2026

Dipo Olowookere

The top editing services for academic researchers in 2026 include Editage, Wiley Editing Services, Taylor & Francis Editing Services, Sage Author Services, and Scribbr. In this article, we’ll look at the key features of each of these, and some others, to help you choose the best proofreading service for your own research paper. We’ll also share the 4 key aspects you must consider when choosing a proofreading service.

Top 8 Editing & Proofreading Services for Academic Researchers

1. Editage

With over 23 years of experience in academic publishing, Editage has edited over 2 million research papers and is trusted by 40+ publishers, 500+ universities, and 1000+ research societies. Editage employs over 3,000 subject matter experts as editors. It offers comprehensive publication support, including services such as journal selection, statistical review, and figure preparation. Most service packages include free journal formatting. Editage also provides a specialized service designed to help prevent the desk rejection of your paper.

2. Wiley Editing Services

Wiley Editing Services has edited over 25,000 manuscripts in the past 3 years, with an acceptance rate of 62% (the acceptance rate of Wiley journals in general is around 28%). Wiley Editing Services offers authors slab-based pricing with clear turnaround times. Another feature of their editing service is free word count reduction by 10-20% depending on service package. It has a specialized academic translation team and offers authors design support in creating graphical abstracts and infographics.

3. Taylor & Francis Editing Services

Designed to support Taylor & Francis authors, Taylor & Francis Editing Services has a no-questions-asked quality guarantee and commits to re-working your manuscript until you are satisfied. Clients can choose from three levels of English language editing, and the company also offers you a free language scorer tool to help you choose the right level of editing for your manuscript. After your paper is accepted for publication, you can also avail of services to help you create lay summaries, video abstracts, etc. to promote it. Taylor & Francis also offers a range of live webinars for researchers to acquire new skills.

4. Sage Author Services

Realizing that 76% of authors find writing a paper for publication most difficult of all the research stages, Sage Author Services offers clients a range of editing services with easy tools to compare them and select the one suited for your paper. There is also a combination translation + editing service geared towards ESL authors, and a plagiarism check support service. You can get unlimited Q&A with your editor after your paper is edited. Their website also has an easy-to-use calculator for you to choose pricing and delivery speed.

5. Cambridge University Press Author Services

Cambridge University Press, a part of Cambridge University, has a long-standing commitment to advancing research and human knowledge. Their author services offers 24/7 support and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of English in the edited manuscript. Besides offering three levels of editing service, Cambridge University Press also has translation support available for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. There is a separate manuscript formatting service and a specialized “video shorts” service to make your published paper easy to share on social media.

6. Scribbr

Scribbr, a trusted brand in edtech, has a network of over 700 editors and writing coaches for students. All editors have passed through an in-house training program called Scribbr Academy. Scribbr offers clients access to free AI-powered tools and an extensive Knowledge Base for university students (especially undergraduates). Scribber also has a rapid turnaround time of just 5 minutes for AI-powered proofreading. The company offers specialized proofreading services for capstone projects and essays.

7. Scribendi

Established in 1997, Scribendi has processed over 800,000 manuscripts and has a team of over 400 native English-speaking freelance editors. The company is highly rated on Google Reviews and offers specialized services for ESL students, including dissertation proofreading with a 10% student discount. Another specialty of Scribbr is field-aware editing for humanities and social sciences researchers.

8. PaperTrue

PaperTrue works with students, authors, and businesses around the world to create error-free documents. New customers get a free 300-word sample. The company follows a rigorous 3-step checking process for every assignment. PaperTrue is rated 4.6 on Reviews.io and offers specialized editing services for college assignments, admissions essays, and personal statements. The company also has a large bouquet of solutions for book authors: typesetting, cover page design, etc.

How to Choose a Proofreading Service for Your Research Paper

Here are 4 things that you need to consider when you are choosing a proofreading service:

Quality:

Everyone will claim to be the best. How can you tell which proofreading services are really good? Look for services that have many subject matter experts, those backed by scholarly publishers, and those that transparently disclose whether their services are powered by AI or not.

Turnaround time:

A rapid-fire editing service isn’t always better. You need to budget time even after your paper is edited to check the editor’s changes and respond to any queries. Look for a service provider with a reasonable turnaround time, and one that is flexible with turnaround time if you have budget constraints.

Price:

Instead of thinking that cheap equals good, look for proofreading services that have transparent pricing that is easy to follow. Check what is included in your service package, especially re-editing support and manuscript formatting.

Additional support:

Look for a provider who can assist you at every stage of your publication journey and even with post-publication promotion. Such providers will care more deeply about your article and your publication success. Also, such providers will likely have editors who are experienced in academic research and who understand the challenges authors face during the publication process.