The AUN-PREMIUM TIMES Data Hub is a unique collaboration between higher education and the media to inject more data-driven analyses into the Nigerian civic space.
The managements of the American University of Nigeria, and PREMIUM TIMES have pledged to strengthen the relationship between the two organisations towards advancing excellence in academic research and national development.
The university's Vice-Chancellor, Dewayne Frazier, and the newspaper's Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, pledged this during the former's visit to PREMIUM TIMES' headquarters in Abuja.
Existing partnership
Earlier in 2021, the two organisations commenced a partnership which birthed the 'AUN-PREMIUM TIMES' Data Hub'- an initiative aimed at simplifying into readable articles and analyses, the research conducted by AUN academics for public consumption in the civic space.
However, the partnership, aimed at having the university provide academic and theoretical solutions to society's problems, has recently experienced downtime.
"We were really excited about it. We started very well, and the reception was great," Mr Mojeed said.
"You have a lot of brilliant faculties that understand a lot of the issues, and we were disappointed that after a while, we were not getting the contents."
He, however, said the downtime had not affected the existing relationship.
Strengthening partnership
In his response, Mr Frazier said the downtime experienced was partly due to the leadership transition between him and his predecessor, Margee Ensign.
He said: "We will make a newfound commitment to work with the media at a different level than we have in the previous years.
"I will make sure to reward them (academics) for engaging in this. Making them experts will make more students, especially parents, who would say, 'I want you to study under someone like this guy".
Mr Mojeed noted that the data-driven writings by the academics would help provide knowledge-based analysis in the civic space.
He said the newspaper's mission of strengthening democracy and providing informed commentaries on issues aligns with the university's.
"We believe that they will be providing a huge service not just to Nigeria but to the world because people will have a better understanding of issues," he said.
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Mr Mojeed, who doubles as the President of the International Press Institute Nigeria, said the newspaper has a rich history of collaboration and that the company will encourage the existing relationship.
"Your mission and ours seem to align substantially," he added.
About AUN-PREMIUM TIMES Data Hub
The AUN-PREMIUM TIMES Data hub, a brainchild of the partnership, is a unique collaboration between higher education and the media to inject more data-driven analysis into the Nigerian civic space.
The hub provides a platform enabling academics to interrogate reliable data and use them to provide insightful analyses that help the authorities and citizens make accurate and informed decisions.
Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe
