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The University of Limerick has signed a formal agreement with the University of Ghana (UG) which aims to facilitate collaboration between the two institutions in areas such as education and academic research.<\/p>\n
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The agreement is the first such agreement between an Irish university and a university in Ghana and was signed at a ceremony during a visit to UG by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney.<\/p>\n
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Minister Coveney said that although this was the first formal agreement between an Irish and Ghanaian university, Ireland had a long association with the University of Ghana.<\/p>\n
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He explained that former Irish academic and politician, Conor Cruise-O\u2019Brien was appointed and held the position of Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana 1963 until 1965 by Ghana\u2019s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.<\/p>\n
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Ireland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana & Senegal, H.E. Sean Hoy, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey and Vice President Academic and Registrar of the University of Limerick, Professor Paul McCutcheon also attended the ceremony.<\/p>\n
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The Memorandum of Understanding will aim to enable collaboration between the two universities and will provide the framework to explore co-operation in a number of areas including: academic programmes; development of joint research activities; facilitation of university staff exchanges; training and development of post-graduate students; student exchange including visiting programmes; exchange of information, research collaboration in areas of mutual interest and any other activities viewed to be mutually beneficial.<\/p>\n
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UL\u2019s Professor McCutcheon hailed the agreement as groundbreaking and said it was in keeping with the new strategic thinking of UL as outlined in the recent \u2018Broadening Horizons\u2019 strategic plan.<\/p>\n
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He said that UL, like UG is a research led institution and that it looked forward to an exciting and fruitful collaboration at all levels between the two institutions.<\/p>\n
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He also announced the awarding of scholarships to UG students for post graduate studies at the masters and doctorate levels.<\/p>\n
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Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey said that the agreement with a research-led university, such as UL, was part of his vision for UG in aiming to become a world class research-intensive university over the next decade.<\/p>\n
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He also said that he looked forward to a genuine and active partnership between the two institutions.<\/p>\n
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The University of Ghana, as the highest ranked university in Ghana, was established in 1948 and is Ghana\u2019s oldest and largest third level institution.<\/p>\n