US partners three Lagos varsities on education

The Spelman College, a leader in the education of women of African descent based in Atlanta, has signed an educational agreement in collaboration with three Lagos-based universities– University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Pan-Atlantic University, on Friday, at the University of Lagos.

This was in recognition of the 50-year Sister Cities partnership between Lagos and Atlanta, aimed to deepen US-Nigeria educational ties and support with a focus on women’s education.

According to a statement made available to Saturday PUNCH, the President of Spelman College and a member of the US President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement, Dr Helene Gayle, explained that one of the overarching goals of the US President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement was to strengthen educational ties and exchanges between African diaspora in the United States and African communities.

The statement partly read, “The US Mission has a longstanding commitment to supporting educational institutions and strengthening an education system that enables students to access quality education throughout Nigeria.

“One of the U.S. government-sponsored academic exchanges is the Fulbright program which provides opportunities for Nigerian university students and faculty members to engage in collaborative research in U.S. institutions across various academic fields.”

Speaking at the event, the US Consul, General Will Stevens, expressed the US government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promoted access to quality higher education and strengthened human capital for inclusive economic growth and development in Nigeria.

Also Speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, described the newly formed partnership as a historic event that marked the beginning of a new era of educational collaboration between the United States and Nigeria.