LASUED Partners Penn State University, Holds Maiden International Conference on Wellness, Equity and Inclusive Education

The Lagos State University of Education, LASUED, in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University, USA, has held its maiden international conference, bringing together scholars, educators, researchers and development experts from Nigeria and beyond to deliberate on wellness, equity and inclusive education.

The three-day conference, held from Monday, 14th to Wednesday, 16th September 2026, took place at the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Hall, Oto/Ijanikin Main Campus, under the theme, "Advancing Wellness and Intersectional Perspectives."

Declaring the conference open, the Vice-Chancellor of LASUED, Professor Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, described the gathering as more than an academic exercise, stressing that it was a strategic necessity for addressing contemporary challenges in the 21st century.

She recalled the workplace wellness engagement for LASUED staff and students organised in collaboration with the University of Chicago, Illinois, USA, on 21st May 2026, with focus on "Workplace Wellness: Promoting Health and Preventing Diseases," as well as the LASUED Health Week flagged off on Monday, 1st June 2026, designed to address hidden illnesses and promote longevity.

According to her, the conference builds on these initiatives by connecting local efforts with global conversations around community-engaged scholarship, child development, food security and inclusive mentorship.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Mildred Boveda, Irving B. Harris Chair at Erickson Institute, Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Lead Facilitator of the Scholars With Disabilities, Educators, and Allies for Transformation, SWEAT, partnership, advocated for the use of disaggregated data, greater participation of persons with disabilities in research and inclusive planning of academic events.

Prof. Boveda also stressed the importance of making the LASUED-Penn State partnership a two-way exchange through which Nigeria and Africa could contribute knowledge, methodologies, cultural perspectives and institutional innovations to global scholarship.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, LASUED, Professor Daodu Morufu Adedayo, acknowledged the support and fundraising efforts that enabled about 20 LASUED students to participate in the conference.

Prof. Daodu commended members of the Local Organising Committee for their dedication to the planning and execution of the event, while appreciating the Vice-Chancellor for providing leadership and support that enabled the partnership to reach the stage of hosting the international conference.

The Facilitator of International Partnership, Professor Grace O. Otinwa, also commended the Vice-Chancellor for facilitating international partnerships through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding and for hosting an international conference within four years of the University's establishment.

Prof. Otinwa urged participants to maximise the conference by improving their wellbeing, developing research collaborations and strengthening academic networks.

Other speakers who presented virtually included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, University of Lagos, Professor Foluso Ebun Afolabi Lesi, who delivered a paper titled, "The Contributions of Nigeria's Knowledge Systems in World Health, Food and Child Connections."

Dr Wilson Kwamogi Okello, Associate Professor of Education, Higher Education, Penn State University, USA, presented a paper titled, "Mentoring Across Transnational Identities: Relationality, Becoming, and Possibility."

Goodwill messages were delivered by Dr Adeyemo Adeoye of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University of Education, Professor Sekinat Folorunsho Salman; Professor Morounkeji E. Akin-Olugbemi, Associate Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Illinois, USA; and Dr Evelyn Kachikwu, Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, El Paso.

The conference ended with a tour of historical sites in Badagry by delegates and participants.