UI Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Collaboration with French Institutions

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic of the University of Ibadan, Professor Juwon T. Arotiba, FICD, FWACS, has reaffirmed the university's commitment to strengthening research, innovation and cultural collaborations with French institutions to advance scholarship and international engagement.

He gave this re-affirmation on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, while receiving the Head of Cultural Cooperation at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Dr Thierry Valentin during a courtesy visit to the office of the Vice- Chancellor. 

Professor Arotiba restated the status of the University of Ibadan as the premier university with good standing as a leading institution in Africa to drive international collaborations.

He explained that the university was established on the foundation of excellence and the current administration is committed to sustaining the legacy.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor expressed the openness of the University to international collaborations and cross-fertilization of ideas which promote research excellence and contribute to societal development.

He assured the team of the full support of the University to initiatives and agreements arising from the engagement and expressed optimism that the partnership would create new opportunities in the pursuit of shared academic and developmental goals.

The Head of Cultural Cooperation at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Dr. Thierry Valentin, commended the University of Ibadan for its academic excellence and described the visit as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the University and its research activities.

Dr Valentin said that although significant collaborations already exist between French institutions and the University of Ibadan, there is considerable potential for further partnerships, particularly in the fields of social science and humanities.

He explained that his visit would also offer an opportunity explore possibilities for additional funding for students and research mobility programmes which would enable postgraduate students and early-career researchers to undertake joint research projects with French institutions.

The French diplomat stated that mobility initiatives would promote knowledge exchange, foster international research collaborations, and strengthen academic networks between Nigerian and French scholars.

Dr Valentin referred to ongoing engagements between the French Development Agency (AFD), the National Universities Commission (NUC), and Nigerian universities aimed at improving student accommodation, laboratory facilities, and technological infrastructure within higher education institutions.

He disclosed that the University of Ibadan was being considered to be included as a beneficiary institution in future development projects, adding that the French Embassy would also seek to strengthen cooperation involving IFRA-Nigeria, Alliance Française, and the University of Ibadan in areas relating to culture, language, research, and community engagement.

The Director of Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique (French Institute for Research in Africa), IFRA - Nigeria, Dr Pauline Guinard, disclosed that the institute promotes research in the social sciences and humanities across countries in the West African region.

She added that it supports researchers through grants, seminars, webinars, and other academic programmes, adding that the institute has maintained a productive relationship with the University of Ibadan Institute of African Studies for over three decades.

Dr Guinard expressed appreciation to the University of Ibadan for hosting the office of IFRA within the Institute and reaffirmed the commitment of IFRA to strengthening existing collaborations and exploring new opportunities for partnership.

The Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Professor Sola Olorunyomi, explained that IFRA-Nigeria had an existing Memorandum of Understanding with the university.

He said that there have been shared experiences and cooperations with IFRA by the institute on culture, spirituality, migration, conflict studies and other interdisciplinary research areas.

The Director said that the collaboration had supported extensive research activities involving scholars from the Institute of African Studies and other faculties across the University. 

He added that the partnership has promoted transdisciplinary research, postgraduate training, international publications, and joint supervision of students by scholars from both Nigerian and French universities.

According to him, this aligns with the mandate of the University to promote excellence in teaching, research, and community service while expanding opportunities for global academic engagement.

Courtesy: UI DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION"