Spanish Ambassador Expresses Desire for Strong Presence in UNILAG during Courtesy Visit
The Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell, expressed Spain's interest in establishing a significant presence at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) during a courtesy visit to Vice-Chancellor Professor Folasade Ogunsola.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
His Excellency Juan Ignacio Sell, the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, has revealed Spain's keen interest in establishing a significant presence at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). This declaration was made during his courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at her office in the Senate House.
Ambassador Sell commended UNILAG as a leading tertiary institution in Africa and praised Nigeria as a whole. He discussed Spain's desire to collaborate with the university in various tangible ways, including the introduction of a Spanish Language degree program to complement existing European languages in the curriculum.
"We desire that Spanish becomes increasingly part of the curriculum at the University of Lagos. Spain wants to come to UNILAG," stated Ambassador Sell. He emphasized the ease of learning Spanish and expressed his country's readiness to support the teaching of the language as a formal, credit-earning elective course within degree programs.
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In response, Vice-Chancellor Professor Ogunsola expressed satisfaction with the Ambassador's recognition of UNILAG's excellence and welcomed the proposal for a stronger Spanish presence. She emphasized that integrating Spanish into the curriculum aligns with UNILAG's internationalization agenda and assured the Management's commitment to elevating the teaching of Spanish to a degree-awarding level.
Furthermore, the Vice-Chancellor delegated the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research), Prof. Bola Oboh, and the Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Matthew Ilori, to refine the plan's details. Discussions also included empowerment programs for women in research in Africa, generously supported by Spain.
Additionally, the Spanish Ambassador highlighted the growing Afro-centric orientation of Spanish universities and their interest in admission drives in Nigeria. The Vice-Chancellor proposed UNILAG's upcoming International Week, scheduled for October 21-25, 2024, as a platform for further collaboration.
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Both parties expressed enthusiasm for potential collaborations and affirmed UNILAG's readiness to leverage these opportunities for the advancement of its staff, students, and Nigeria as a whole.
