American Varsity To Award Scholarship To 5000 African Students

DINESH Shukla, the president of American International University (AIU), Gambia, has promised to give scholarship to over 5,000 African students yearly to ensure that the huge potentials in human and natural resources in the continent is optimally utilised.

To actualise this dream, he has already awarded scholarship to 10 victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in Maiduguri, Borno State and also granted 50 per cent scholarship (tuition) to 35 others from Nigeria studying in the school.

Shukla, who spoke to newsmen in Lagos, said his passion for quality education in the continent led to the establishment of the school in 2011, noting that in the next five years, the school would have successfully educated many African students for free.

According to him, the university, which has rapidly grown into three functional campuses within four years, is already close to its dream. “In spite of the high cost of education globally, I promise to bring respite to hundreds of African students in need of world class education at highly subsidised rates,” he said.

Shukla disclosed that the school is following American curriculum and that its students write American examinations and get the same certificates, which they would have obtained if they were studying in the United States. “We are committed to the promotion of human health.

We also emphasise on fundamentals of health sciences by stimulating innovations through education in dynamic learning environment. We wish to contribute to the advancement of medical sciences through discovery, research, scholarship and communications.

We are the only American International University in Africa to give medical education at the level of Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Dentistry.

Our students go through the same medical curriculum with students studying in the United States.” Shukla stressed that the university has also established College of Management and Information Technology to bring 21st century education to the doorsteps of African students, adding that it is collaborating with laboratories like the Centre for Disease Control (CDS) in United States, which has shown willingness to build a permanent lab in the school, so that they can help in case of emergencies.