University of Limerick and UG sign MoU

The University of Limerick, Ireland, has signed a formal agreement with the University of Ghana to facilitate collaboration between the institutions and develop models of cooperation in a number of areas, including education and academic research.

The signing ceremony took place during a visit to the University of Ghana by Irish Minister for Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., and Ireland's Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana & Senegal, Sean Hoy.

This signing marks the first agreement between an Irish university and the University of Ghana. It was attended by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, and Vice President Academic and Registrar of the University of Limerick, Professor Paul McCutcheon.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will enable collaboration between the two universities and provide the framework to explore co-operation on academic programmes; development of joint research activities; facilitation of university staff exchanges; training and development post-graduate students; student exchange and/or visiting programmes; exchange of information, research collaboration in areas of mutual interest, and any other activities viewed to be mutually beneficial.

Professor McCutcheon at the ceremony stated the groundbreaking agreement is in keeping with the University of Limerick’s (UL) new strategic thinking, ‘Broadening Horizons’, which is outward-looking in every sense.

The university is building connections to communities and businesses, to external collaborators, and to the international scene.

He pointed out that the University of Limerick, like the University of Ghana, is a research-led institution and looked forward to an exciting and fruitful collaboration at all levels. The Vice President announced the award of scholarships to UG students for postgraduate studies at the masters and doctorate levels.

Commenting on the agreement, Minister Simon Coveney pointed out that while this is the first formal agreement between an Irish and Ghanaian University, Ireland has had a long association with the University of Ghana.

Dr. Conor Cruise-O’Brien, an Irish academic and politician, was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana by Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1963, and remained VC until 1965. In fact, 2015 is the 50^th anniversary of his tenure ending.

Dr. Conor Cruise-O’Brien came to President Nkrumah’s attention when he was the special UN Representative in the newly-independent Congo in 1961.  He was delighted to see the bust of Conor Cruise-O’Brien in the forecourt of the VC’s office.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, stated that the agreement with a research-led university is part of his vision for the UG to become a world-class research-intensive university over the next decade. He looks forward to a genuine and active partnership between the two institutions.

The University of Limerick, Ireland, was established in 1972 and named 'University of the Year’ 2015 in the Sunday Times Good University Guide.  UL’s leading position in graduate employability, strong research commercialisation, the €52million Bernal Project in science and engineering, and a rising academic performance were among reasons for the Award.

The University of Ghana was established in 1948 and is Ghana’s oldest and largest tertiary institution. It is the highest-ranked university in Ghana. It is seeking to become a world-class research-intensive university over the next decade, and is focused on enhancing the quality of post-graduate programmes and research.