The historic visit by the OAU delegation to The Gambia was followed up with another visit last month led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Professor Ayobami Salami which has now yielded a powerful MoU between the two universities. Obafemi Awolowo University in 2014 is ranked among the top ten universities in Africa and number one in Nigeria. Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of The Gambia strongly believe that the value of interaction and cooperation between the two institutions can strengthen their individual, institutional and collective academic programs and further develop important linkages, cooperation and friendship between the two institutions and their respective constituents as they work more closely together and thus better understand each other. The following prioritised activities have been agreed to as a basis for this agreement and have therefore been grouped according to the envisaged time of their commencement:
Immediate (to commence within 6 months)
(a) Review of academic staff coming up for promotion from Assistant Professors/Senior Lecturers to Associate Professors and from Associate Professors to Full Professors. Facilitate selection of committee members for independent review.
(b) Sending 2 of UTG teaching assistants with a BSc or BA in each of their degree programs to pursue a Masters degree at OAU with priority in the physical, natural and Basic medical sciences starting immediately- OAU upcoming intake.
(c) Sending 2 of UTG instructors in each of their degree programs to pursue a PhD degree at OAU starting immediately – OAU upcoming intake.
(d) Enrolling all UTG Senior staff with a Masters Degree in appropriate PhD programs at OAU. They will all remain at UTG Campus with periodic residency at OAU and their supervisors.
(e) Collaboration and partnership in the delivery of joint degree programs with OAU’s Distance / e-learning programs with UTG’s digital campus and UTG’s African Virtual University. Content sharing and training of UTG distance learning staff, especially technical staff
(f) Academic Staff Needs
Faculty Mobility Program at the Postgraduate Teaching Levels – Senior Lecturers to support Joint Masters Degrees with thesis requirements (joint degrees with OAU, Course delivery in Modules of 6 weeks intensive delivery by OAU and UTG qualified faculty) in the following Masters Program:
Mathematics (Mathematical Modeling), Statistics, Applied Economics, Economics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Microbiology, Biochemistry, English Language, English Literature, African History, Development Studies, Education Management & Leadership, Management Science, Pubic Administration, Public Policy, Public & Environmental Health, Nursing and Midwifery, LLM degree, Business Administration (MBA) program, Climate Change & Education.
PhD in Public Administration & Policy with Concentration areas (1st PhD Program at the UTG. Have selected top faculty members from OAU and UTG accredited as Core faculty and this to start immediately).
Faculty Mobility Program at the Undergraduate Teaching Levels – Undergraduate Lecturers and Senior Lecturers in the Following Bachelors program: Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Information Systems, Telecommunications & Wireless technologies, Biology, Biostatistics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology, Nursing, English Language, Accounting, Finance & Banking
(g) Support for the curriculum and program development, take-off of the LLM degree program at UTG and Short term joint certificate and diploma programs for continuing legal professional education.
(h) Support to develop Engineering undergraduate degree programs in the following:
BSc in Civil Engineering (Basic Sciences (1st 2 years are taught at the UTG and Engineering course work (3rd Yr and 4th yr) are taught at OAU with student mobility agreement or depending on the availability of Engineering Lab infrastructure at UTG for the required courses, OAU Engineering Faculty will shuttle to the UTG to deliver modularized engineering courses on 6/8 weeks per course durations for the 3rd and 4th year engineering courses)
BSc in Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Basic Sciences (First 2 years are taught at the UTG and Engineering course work (3rd Yr and 4th yr) are taught at OAU with student mobility agreement or depending on the availability of Engineering Lab infrastructure at UTG for the required courses. OAU Engineering Faculty will shuttle to the UTG to deliver modularised engineering courses on 6/8 weeks per course durations for the 3rd and 4th year engineering courses)
B. Arch- Bachelors in Architecture- (Basic Sciences (1st 2 years are taught at the UTG and Architecture course work (3rd Yr and 4th yr) are taught at OAU with student mobility agreement or depending on the availability of Architecture Lab/Studio infrastructure at UTG for the required courses, OAU Architecture Faculty will shuttle to the UTG to deliver modularized architectural courses on 6/8 weeks per course durations for the 3rd and 4th year engineering courses)
Curriculum Design and Programme Development of a BA in Performing & Fine Arts (Theater; Dance; Fine Arts; Drama; Cultural Studies, etc.)
(i) Collaboration including Faculty and staff exchanges from OAU Faculty of Agriculture to strengthen and re-orient agricultural curricula and pedagogy towards the development of linkages between academia and industry and in the development of agricultural value chains.
(j) Human capacity and/or technical assistance from OAU to facilitate development of a scheme of Community and Rural Medical Posting as an integral part of medical training
(k) Capacity and infrastructural development for electronic processing of admissions
(l) Review of UTG School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences MBBS curriculum, the school’s teaching and laboratory infrastructure (physical and human); organizational structure and the review of the teaching hospitals by OAU College of Health Sciences.
(m) Capacity and staff strengthening in University Campus Facilities Management
Medium Term (to commence within 12 months)
a. Student internship and exchange
b. UTG Faculty research and teaching at OAU with mentorship from senior OAU academic staff.
c. Development of undergraduate degree programs (initially as joint) in :
Dentistry- (First 4 years are taught at the UTG and Dental course work (5th yr and 6th Yr) are taught at OAU with student mobility agreement or when Dental Lab infrastructure is available at UTG, OAU Dental Faculty will shuttle to the UTG to deliver modularized Dental courses on 6/8 weeks durations for the 3rd, 4th and 5th year Dental courses)
Physiotherapy
Pharmacy – (Basic Sciences (First year is at the UTG and Pharmacy course work (2nd to 5th Yr) are taught at OAU with student mobility agreement or when Pharmacy Lab infrastructure is available at UTG, OAU Pharmacy Faculty will shuttle to the UTG to deliver modularized Pharmacy courses on 6/8 weeks durations for the 3rd, 4th and 5th year Pharmacy courses)
Medical Records/ Records Management
Development of Centre for Energy /Alternative and Renewable Energy Research at UTG’s STI Park
Development of a Science, Innovation and Technology Policy Research Centre
d. Development of postgraduate degree programs (initially as joint) in Statistics, Applied Economics, Computer Science, Information Systems, English Language, English Literature, African History, Development Studies, Education Management & Leadership, Pubic Administration, Public Policy, Public & Environmental Health, LLM degree, MBA program, Climate Change & Education.
· PhD in Public Administration and Policy with concentration areas
· PhD in Economics.
Long Term (commence within 24 months)
· Collaborative and joint development-oriented research
· Collaborative and joint grant writing and solicitation
· Organisation of joint conferences especially in Scientific areas such as Agriculture and Medicine
· Exchange of academic materials and resources
· Academic mentorship for peer review, scientific publications,
· Campus grounds Management and Maintenance knowledge transfer
Both institutions agree to make special efforts, individually and in concert to secure appropriate financing from private, state, provincial, national, non-governmental and international agencies to support the activities contemplated in this Agreement. The institutions agree to continue discussion of particular joint projects and exchanges.
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