Internationalising Higher Education

Professor Julius Amioba Okojie was awarded his PhD in Forestry Resource Management in 1981. Before proceeding for his Masters Degree in the US, Professor Okojie worked briefly between 1972 and 1974 as Research Officer at the Forestry Research Institute, Ibadan. In 1978 he joined the University of Ibadan as a Lecturer and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1983. He rose to the rank of Professor of Forestry Resource Management in 1990.

Professor Okojie was appointed Vice-Chancellor, University of Agriculture Abeokuta in 1996, a position he held until 2001. He joined the National Universities Commission in August 2002. While in the Commission, he chaired the Standing Committee on Private Universities. During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, the University of Agriculture Abeokuta was ranked top Nigerian University from the NUC accreditation exercise. Professor Okojie's fellow Vice-Chancellors chose to elect him to the position of Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities in 2001.

Professor Okojie has written many chapters in books and articles in national and international journals, generally in the sciences and on issues on higher education development. His numerous Fellowship awards include the Royal Society (Nuffield Foundation) Fellowship; Senior Fulbright Fellowship; and the United Nations University Fellowship. He is a Fellow, African Academy of Science; Fellow, Science Association of Nigeria and Fellow, Forestry Association of Nigeria.

Bells University of Technology, Ota, appointed Professor Julius Okojie Vice-Chancellor of the Institution in July 2005. Professor Julius A. Okojie is currently also the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, a position he has held since August, 2006.