ABUAD Secures British Council Grant to Promote Gender Equality in Academia

Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has received a £30,000 catalytic grant from the British Council aimed at strengthening gender equality and advancing women’s leadership in higher education across Nigeria.

The announcement was made during the opening of a three-day workshop, “Empower: Leadership Training for Women in Higher Education,” held at ABUAD in collaboration with Buckinghamshire New University, United Kingdom.

Professor Adetoro Adegoke, Health Inequalities expert and Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Buckinghamshire New University, disclosed that the grant will launch a nationwide initiative to develop women leaders in academia. ABUAD is a 50–50 project partner, hosting more ground-level project officers and research associates than its UK counterpart.

The catalytic fund is intended to stimulate action and lay the foundation for larger grants, including an £8 million Wellcome Trust initiative expected to span five years. Prof. Adegoke highlighted that gender inequality remains a global challenge, noting systemic barriers such as limited support, mindset challenges, and imposter syndrome, particularly for women from minority groups.

“We aim to support aspiring women leaders to ensure gender balance at leadership levels across higher education institutions. Leadership begins from within,” she said.

ABUAD Vice Chancellor Professor Smaranda Olarinde urged women leaders to overcome societal and systemic barriers and encouraged them to embrace visionary and compassionate leadership.

Meanwhile, ABUAD commissioned a new ultra-modern ICT Centre, New Horizons, equipped with 150 computer systems to enhance teaching, learning, and research. Professor Olarinde called on students to maximize the facility to innovate, create, and excel, reaffirming the university’s commitment to providing a conducive learning environment.