By Mafugi Ceesay
The University of The Gambia Tuesday welcomed a delegation from the Assane Seck University in Ziguinchor, Senegal.
The purpose of the visit was to formally establish ties between the two universities to pave way for exchange of faculty and students, sharing of resources and collaboration on academic ventures.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum told the visiting Senegalese delegation the two countries do not only share similar cultures, but also family ties, languages and geographical space. He said Senegalese and Gambians are the same people divided by colonial powers but still inseparable by all standards.
He said the proximity of the two countries and the similarities in their peoples would be enough reasons to suggest that a partnership between the two universities would be of paramount importance.
“Exchange of faculty and students, sharing of resources and collaboration on academic ventures could easily be facilitated. Therefore, I emphasize that UTG is ready for a partnership with Assane Secka university not only for the benefit of two universities but also the two countries as well,” Dr. Faqir charged.
The delegation included their Vice Chancellor and five other senior management staff.
Professor Alassane Diatta said the objective of their visit is to build collaboration between the two universities under the purview of conference of directors to exchange on best practices, so that the two universities can derive benefits and maximise collaboration.
“We want to base this collaboration to be part of a conference of directors, first on training, so that each university can present the different training they have and that will let us know that we have a lot in common and that training can be shared.”
“The second component of this conference of directors is research, that will give opportunities to different research teams to make presentations to exchange because we are dealing with the same societal issues and the outcome will be solutions to the challenges that our societies are facing. It is bizarre that the Gambian and Senegalese researchers do not communicate to know what is in the two countries because of too much focus on the outside world, whereas both countries face the same problem.
“The third is community service that will identify and propose the solution and challenges faced by the two societies.”
Diatta said he is hopeful that the conference of the vice chancellors will harmonize all resources for the better management of the challenges faced by the two countries, with staff exchange, and human resources.
In another development, the University was supposed to host military officers from the Command and Staff College (Nigeria). A presentation should be made by UTG staff on “The Impact of Covid-19 on National Efforts towards Regional Security: UTG Perspective”. However, the meeting was canceled as the military at the last minute did not turn up.
