University of Ibadan (UI) to Strengthen Partnership with German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
The University of Ibadan (UI) is poised to deepen and strengthen its collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to foster academic exchange, capacity building, and cultural integration.
UBA CHIDINMA 
The University of Ibadan (UI) is poised to deepen and strengthen its collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to foster academic exchange, capacity building, and cultural integration.
The Vice-Chancellor of UI, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, expressed this commitment during a courtesy visit by Frau Lena Leumer, Director of DAAD Regional Office Accra. Professor Adebowale highlighted the immense opportunities DAAD has provided to UI scholars, including research grants, fellowships, and scholarships for postdoctoral and doctoral studies in Germany.
“We value DAAD’s contributions to our academic community and are ready to expand this relationship to new heights,” he said, while extending an invitation for a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The proposed MoU would focus on sustainable partnerships, student and staff mobility, and enhanced research collaborations.
The Vice-Chancellor also requested the establishment of a DAAD office in southwestern Nigeria to facilitate strategic partnerships and underscored UI’s commitment to promoting international cooperation for quality research.
Frau Lena Leumer commended UI for its status as a leading university in Nigeria and affirmed that a robust collaboration process with DAAD had already been initiated. She introduced the new DAAD Programme Officer for Nigeria, Dr. Fortune Agbele, and urged UI scholars to explore the DAAD-funded DS programme for academic advancement.
Frau Leumer noted that the DAAD Regional Office in Ghana, which oversees activities in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon, has been operational for 25 years and aims to strengthen partnerships in the region.
The visit also included key representatives from UI, such as Professor S. O. Oyetade, Dean of the Faculty of Arts; Dr. A. D. Iyiola, Acting Head of the Department of European Studies; and Mrs. Charlotte Meyn, a DAAD lecturer.
The University of Ibadan’s renewed partnership with DAAD is expected to open doors for increased academic mobility, cultural exchange, and innovative research collaborations.
