His excellency, Amb Samaila Yusuf Abba during the recent guest lecture of skyline University Nigeria, shared the practical aspect, and nature of the conduct of the art of diplomacy.  His Insight on the Practice of Diplomacy  The practice of diplomacy is not alien to human existence, since human beings can’t exist in isolation. States like human beings need one another to be able to actualize their primary purpose of existence, which is the protection and promotion of territorial integrity of their domain for citizens’ wellbeing. Thus, the metrics at which diplomatic practice flourishes are predicated upon multiple factors; Developing interest and passion for the art and craft of diplomacy and international relations. Wide knowledge of diplomatic history with particular reference to one’s country. Possession of analytical skills and temperament. Ability to write well and quickly. Be verbally fluent and explanatory. Demonstration of meticulous attention to detail. Be a firm and effective negotiator. Ability to politely speak one’s opinions to power, and  Other sterling qualities. Over time, the functions of diplomats have oscillated between representations, negotiation, and promotion of friendly relationships with other countries, protecting citizens living abroad, and collation and analysis of information as connected to the socioeconomic, political and security interests of their countries. It’s no longer gainsaying that the emergence of globalization and communication networks have profoundly changed the face of diplomatic practice in the 21st. The 21st-century diplomat needs to adapt his or her role in consonance with these continuously and rapidly evolving changes. This brings us to some of the challenges faced by a 21st-century diplomat His perspective on the Challenges of diplomacy in the 21st century.  The challenges of diplomacy in the 21st century are enormous, it will be good if we limit ourselves to those that clog the wheel of foreign policy in our immediate environment. These include; Globalization: The world is fast becoming a global village with socio, political, economic and health challenges. Since state actors need to work closely together with other actors, international laws are needed. Some of these international laws slow down the engagements of diplomats in the international system.  Social Media: Social media has proven to be a hard nut to crack in carrying out the diplomatic practice. Even before proceedings and resolutions of bilateral or diplomatic engagements are officially documented and communicated with the parent country, social media has perverted virtually all the outcomes of the engagement. This ordinarily presents diplomats as dragging vital information that requires to be heard from them first-hand. Insecurity: Today, there are lots of local, national and even international restiveness all over the world. The international community will always be trying to resolve this challenge by using diplomacy. So, rather than pushing ahead with other vital and progressive agendas, diplomats are deterred by the responsibility of attending to insecurity issues. Conclusion and Recommendations Narrowing the gap between reality and perception, it is essential for all international actors to be well understood, correctly analyzed and properly assessed. To do this right, a student aiming to become a good diplomat in the 21st century needs to be; Smart, particularly assertive and innovative.  Competent in the gathering and use of information. Give suggestions to state actors on the need to be at peace with their immediate neighbours. Diplomats should rely on a clear political will and desire to resolve a problem on mutually beneficial conditions. Well, articulate in communication and representation. 

The regulatory body for university education in Nigeria, The National Universities Commission, (NUC) has granted Skyline University Nigeria a PERMANENT LICENCE as a Private University following the expiration of the probation period within which the university has operated. The license was received on 15th November 2022 sequel to the recent NUC visit on the status of the University’s license. This is an attestation that the commission was satisfied with the efforts made by Skyline University Nigeria to meet the requirements as described by the commission for the issuance of a permanent operating licence. The Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria, Prof. Ajith Kumar V.V made this public while reiterating the importance of teamwork amongst the staff and faculty of the university. He advised stakeholders of the university to continue to execute qualitative university education on students to compete with their counterparts across the globe.  Receiving the license on behalf of the University, the Pro-Chancellor Mr Nitin Anand, expressed satisfaction with this milestone being achieved. According to him, this will solidify the university’s position as one of the universities in Nigeria that meets quality standards. He added that this new development will enhance the educational quality of the university, ensure consistency in institutional operations, promote self-evaluation and institutional improvement, as well as provide for public accountability within a peer-review framework”. It should be recalled that Skyline University Nigeria receive its provisional license earlier in 2018. Since then, the university has become a place for techno-creative education, providing space for students to develop freely, connect with people they knew nothing about and establish great rapport. Friends and faculty became sources of inspiration, Campus became a space for creative thinking and support, not only for personal but professional goals. Speaking on the provision by the NUC, the university’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Mr Abubakar Sadiq Ismail, who accompanied the university’s Pro-Chancellor, congratulated the university for this milestone achieved. “Congratulations to Skyline University Nigeria as you continue the quest to provide knowledge, skills and value-based education while maintaining acceptable moral values such as honesty, humility, truthfulness and high ethical standard in personal and professional lives”. He added. In his comments, the University Registrar, Mr Haruna Aliyu shared his delight at the new development. He affirmed that Skyline University Nigeria being the first Private university in Kano, is managed by an international education group, dedicated to producing enterprising graduates, sound in learning and character.

The desired goal for every student of higher learning is to achieve academic success in the university. However, the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values acquired in the learning process for every student, are achieved through the rationale of goal setting. Students must learn the art of setting goals that are specific, measurable, realistic, and time-sensitive as it allows them to elevate their study practice, encourage the advancement of their personal work and better manage their professional lives.  Goal settings are very important to success not only in studying for academic endeavours but in all aspects of life. Goals setting helps you to focus on what you wish to achieve and provides you with direction on the steps towards achieving the outcome. Below are some of the strategies for setting academic goals and changing your academic success story. #1 Make your goals specific: By this, your goals should be clear and realistic. Realistic goals are the once that take less time and have a high chance of being achieved easily, such as understanding a new course, reviewing a new book, losing weight etc. These goals will help you boost confidence and once you realize you can make specific goals, it will give you the motivation to continue to set other slightly more difficult goals for success. #2 Set Target Dates & Times: Having set specific goals, the next important thing is to work out a systematic game plan that can help you get there easily, hence the need for time management and allocating your priority and tasks to pursue what is important to you the most. For example, you can set your semester schedule with corresponding test/exam dates inserted and marked with a deadline. Against this schedule, you can mark your time for one week and show class lectures for the respective week on the following: extracurricular activities, home assignments, preliminary note taking & note making of new lessons for the next day, private tuition (if any), revision and test/exam preparative study. #3 Take the first step When you have implemented the first two strategies, it’s time to take the step to action. It is important not to procrastinate. You don’t need to wait until everything is right. Get started now and make adjustments as you go along. Take that first step. If you wait for the moment when everything is in perfect alignment you will never get started. This first step is always the hardest one to take. Once you have made a start the next step will be slightly easier, and the one after that, easier again. This will encourage you to make it as soon as possible, so you quickly begin the journey towards achieving your goals. #4 Reward yourself When you complete your goal it is important to reward yourself for this achievement. Look back over your accomplishments and enjoy the satisfaction that success brings. This will train the subconscious mind to focus on activities that produce successful results. Once you have enjoyed your reward, set your next goal, making it bigger and more challenging than the last.

With the launch of its first Newsline magazine a few months away, Skyline University Nigeria launches the second edition of its Newsline magazine. Just like the first edition, the Newsline magazine was rolled out in a styled fashion that fitted perfectly with the long-term vision of the university. The launch of the Newsline magazine is part of the university’s 5th-year celebration of academic excellence, repositioned to share its evolving history and achievement globally. Amongst the expected outcomes of the launch of the Newsline magazine, is that the Newsline will continue to become a platform for signposting the achievements of the university annually. The content of the 2nd edition of Newsline magazine covers several Programmemes and certifications, MoU signing, Entrepreneurship workshops, Branding of SUN, campus life, CEO Lecture series, and Hostel life, amongst others. It also focuses on highlighting the positive aspects of the University’s services by sharing press mentions, industry visits, student and staff articles, Vision and mission statements, internships and placements, and poems. For a second edition, the magazine covers the recent NUC’s approval on Law, School of Basic Medical Sciences covering Doctor of Physiotherapy, B.NSc. Nursing Sciences and Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Science. it also showcased the newly approved Programmemes in the School of Science and Information Sciences, covering B.Sc. Cyber Security and B.Sc. Data Science. Describing the launch of the Newsline magazine as a laudable initiative, the Vice-Chancellor of Skyline University Nigeria, Professor Ajith Kumar V.V stated expressed his delight to be a part of the second edition of the SUN magazine launch. He acknowledged the support and dedication of the Newsline committee for the execution of the Newsline magazine.