The Lead for the Equalities Charter at the University of Bath, UK, Dr Teslim Bukoye, has said that the institution’s Readcycle Bath UK Initiative is making significant strides in enhancing scholarship, advancing academic practice and fostering stronger reading culture through its book donations in line with the university’s mandate for global impact.
Bukoye, who is the Lead of Readcycle Bath UK, stated that since its inception in 2022, the initiative had been making global impact “by advancing scholarship through book-sharing with higher institutions across Africa and expanding into Asia and the Middle East.”
The associate professor, said in a statement made available in Ado Ekiti on that the recent donation of books to Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), for the benefit of students and lecturers, “align with Readcycle Bath’s mission to provide books to one million African students within seven years.”
Bukoye said, “Although we donated books to ABUAD in 2023, our return this year with even more books is because the university offers many courses that align with the University of Bath’s mandate.
The statement reads, “We hold ABUAD in high regard as a top-ranking institution with shared values in scholarship, entrepreneurship and professional certifications. Furthermore, its consistent recognition as Nigeria’s best university for the third consecutive year, according to the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact World Universities Ranking, underscores its excellence.
“ABUAD values our contributions, and the response from the university leadership has been truly remarkable.
“The reactions from ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola; the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde; the Provost of the College of Social and Management Sciences, Prof. Olayinka Aina; and faculty members were overwhelming, inspiring and deeply encouraging. They were thrilled to receive the books and shared highly positive feedback.”
Bukoye said, “At Readcycle Bath UK, our mission is to provide books from the University of Bath to countries and higher education institutions where they can be valued and utilized to enhance students’ learning experiences, scholarship, and academic practice. The feedback from our initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We appreciate the Vice Chancellor, University of Bath, Prof. Phil Taylor; the deans of faculties and schools; staff and students of the university. We also commend donor bodies like the Royal Commonwealth Society, and Bath for support to this initiative.
“The UK High Commissioner also acknowledged the significance of the project, stating, ‘Your efforts to expand academic opportunities for Nigerian students are commendable. We firmly believe that access to quality reading materials can have a multiplier effect in improving education standards, fostering equality, and supporting national development.
“In Nigeria, we have supplied books to several institutions, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; the University of Ilorin; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; the Federal University of Technology, Akure; the Federal Polytechnic, Offa; and ABUAD.
“So far, we have donated thousands of books and reached over 10 higher institutions. These books will benefit hundreds of thousands of students within these institutions. Our goal is not just to supply books for library collections, but to provide materials that can actively support teaching and research,” Bukoye stated.
Expressing concern over the decline in reading culture due to heavy reliance on social media, Bukoye emphasized that the Readcycle Bath Initiative was designed to sustain and revive the habit of reading.
He also highlighted the infrastructural challenges in many African countries, including Nigeria, particularly in areas such as electricity, computers and laptops, which hinder access to e-books, adding, “We are bridging this gap by providing hard-copy books and relevant textbooks that students can use directly”.
“One of the ways we promote reading at Readcycle Bath is by adding incentives. We place tokens inside some books, allowing lucky readers to discover them. Additionally, some professors at the University of Bath write messages of encouragement to inspire students.
“Through these efforts, we aim to inspire African scholars, colleagues and students by reinforcing the idea that every invention and innovation is built on existing knowledge. We want them to read more, think more and gain access to transformative ideas through books,” he concluded.
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