FUTA, Ocean University of China Seal New MoU to Expand Marine Research Collaboration

The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), and the Ocean University of China (OUC) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen bilateral cooperation in marine research, academic exchange and advanced scientific training.

The agreement was sealed during a three-day working visit by the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adenike Oladiji, FAS, to the Ocean University of China from November 19 to 21, 2025. She led a high-powered delegation that was formally received at the OUC Laoshan Campus by the President of the University, Professor Zhang Junfeng, and the Vice President for International Cooperation, Professor Liu Yong.

While welcoming the FUTA delegation, Professor Zhang described OUC as a leading global institution in marine and ocean sciences and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening international collaboration. He recalled the long-standing partnership between both universities, which has yielded notable outcomes in marine geoscience research, especially in river delta studies. He disclosed that FUTA and OUC jointly secured approval under the National Key Research and Development Program’s intergovernmental international innovation cooperation framework, leading to the establishment of the China–Nigeria River Delta Joint Laboratory. According to him, the initiative has laid a firm foundation for expanded scientific exchange, talent development and strengthened China–Nigeria academic relations under the Belt and Road Initiative.

In her response, Professor Oladiji described FUTA as Nigeria’s foremost university of technology, established in 1981 with 11 schools and 62 accredited academic programmes. She highlighted FUTA’s strong global outlook and its existing collaborations with universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil and China. She noted that Nigerian universities greatly value partnerships with Chinese institutions, adding that the FUTA–OUC relationship has already delivered tangible benefits through joint research, faculty and student exchanges, and specialized technical training. She expressed confidence that the newly signed MoU would further deepen institutional ties and drive more impactful research outputs.

The formal signing of the MoU was conducted by Professor Liu Yong and Professor Adenike Oladiji on behalf of their respective institutions, followed by the joint unveiling of the China–Nigeria River Delta Joint Laboratory. Professor Liu described the joint laboratory, the ongoing three-month faculty exchange programme and the specialized graduate training initiatives as highly productive and forward-looking. He expressed optimism that collaboration between the two universities would be extended to additional research and academic fields.

During the visit, the FUTA Vice-Chancellor also toured the College of Marine Geoscience at OUC, where she met with the Vice President of Scientific Research and Dean of the College, Professor Houjie Wang, and the Vice Dean and Lead Investigator of the joint laboratory, Professor Lulu Qiao. She was accompanied by the Acting Head of FUTA’s Department of Marine Science and Technology (MST) and Nigerian Project Leader of the joint laboratory, Dr. Olusegun Adekoyejo Dada, alongside other FUTA staff participating in the three-month exchange programme, including Dr. A.F. Folorunso, Dr. A.A. Osinowo, Dr. R.B. Adesina, Mr. A.O. Agbaje and Mrs. M.T. Ogunsuyi. Graduate students from the MST Department currently undergoing training at OUC also interacted with the Vice-Chancellor during the visit.

Under the terms of the new MoU, both institutions committed to expanding cooperation through the full operationalisation of the China–Nigeria River Delta Joint Laboratory, joint research projects, exchange of faculty and researchers, graduate-level training, sharing of academic resources, and the organisation of joint conferences and educational programmes. FUTA’s Department of Marine Science and Technology will serve as the coordinating unit for implementing the agreement on behalf of the University.

The MoU marks a significant boost to FUTA’s international research profile and reinforces its growing global footprint in marine science and technology.