By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
A visiting scholar from Texas A and M University, USA, Prof. Christopher Thron, has enjoined Nigerian academics and institutions to seek more international collaborations on research.
Thron, an expert in software and applicable mathematics, gave the advice on Friday during his courtesy visit to Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin.
The Don said he was on a collaborative research visit to the Department of Mathematics of the University.
He expressed the hope that the collaboration would assist Nigerian researchers to become aware of research trends in the rest of the world.
According to the don, mathematics is in a very good position to contribute to the benefit of the society.
He said students should be encouraged to learn about computer, which he said was required for high technology and 
served as an avenue to greater job opportunities.
Thron, who said he was interested in developing mathematics in Africa, said he had previously taught undergraduate courses to students of the Department of Mathematics in Unilorin.
He promised to teach short courses to Postgraduate students of the institution during his visit.
Receiving Thron, Abdulkareem commended the scholar for the visit.
He expressed optimism that the exercise would expose the students of the University to more knowledge that would make them more relevant to the academic community and the larger society.
The Vice-Chancellor identified limited funding as a constraint inhibiting efforts toward inviting more international scholars to Nigeria.
He, however, appealed to the lecturers to continue to show more interest in sharing knowledge and ideas with other varsities in the country.
Abdulkareem said the institution looked for academics from large institutions in the US and Europe whose institutions were willing to fund their visits to African varsities.
