Babcock University has strengthened its academic partnership with South Africa’s University of Venda (UNIVEN) following a high-level visit aimed at advancing research collaboration, staff exchange, and joint funding opportunities.
The South African delegation, led by the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, Prof. Tawanda Runhare, alongside Faculty Manager Dr. Mafemani Baloyi, visited the Ogun State-based university under the coordination of Babcock’s Office of Research, Innovation and International Collaboration.
Speaking during the visit, Babcock University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, stressed the need for stronger educational cooperation among African nations, noting that the partnership should deliver practical benefits beyond formal agreements.
He said Nigeria had historically supported South Africa and expressed optimism that stronger collaboration in higher education would promote mutual growth and development.
The discussions centred on transforming the existing Memorandum of Understanding into actionable programmes, including joint research grants, academic exchanges, and collaborative initiatives to address common challenges in education, humanities, and community development.
Prof. Runhare said the visit marked the beginning of implementing concrete projects that would benefit students, academics, and the wider society.
He added that the collaboration would particularly strengthen cooperation in the areas of education and humanities while expanding opportunities for research and innovation.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to deepening intra-African academic collaboration, describing the partnership as one inspired by the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasises collective progress and shared success.
The renewed collaboration is expected to enhance research capacity, attract international funding, and strengthen academic exchanges between Nigeria and South Africa.
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