LASU Signs Partnership Agreement with University of Illinois Chicago to Boost Global Academic Collaboration

Lagos State University (LASU) has strengthened its internationalisation drive with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), United States, to enhance collaboration in teaching, research, academic exchange and global health.

The agreement was formalised during a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony and roundtable discussion held at the UIC School of Public Health in Chicago on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

The LASU delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mr. Babatunde Ogala (SAN), alongside the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM. Other members of the delegation included Governing Council members, Mr. Towanu Abiodun Hundeyin and Prof. Shaffideen Amuwo, as well as the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel A. Fanu.

The ceremony also featured a roundtable discussion during which representatives of both institutions explored opportunities for deeper collaboration in education, research and global health.

Under the five-year agreement, LASU and UIC will collaborate on faculty and student exchange programmes, joint research projects, joint educational initiatives and the exchange of academic materials. Specific activities will be implemented through mutually agreed programmes by both institutions.

Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Olatunji-Bello described the agreement as another major milestone in LASU’s internationalisation agenda. She said the collaboration aligns with her administration’s vision of positioning the university as a globally competitive institution, adding that the initiative has continued to receive the full support of the University’s 13th Governing Council.

The Vice-Chancellor also commended the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Oseni Taiwo Afisi, for his strategic engagements and sustained efforts, which she said were instrumental to the successful conclusion of the partnership.

In his remarks, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mr. Ogala, expressed optimism that the agreement would create new opportunities for academic collaboration and further strengthen LASU’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading universities.

The University noted that the agreement with the University of Illinois Chicago is the latest in a series of international partnerships aimed at expanding its global reach. It recalled that it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), securing the hosting rights for the global MCN Summit scheduled for March 2027.

According to the University, the latest collaboration reinforces LASU’s growing reputation as an emerging centre of academic excellence in Africa, committed to fostering international visibility, impactful partnerships and globally relevant education.