FAMU announces collaboration with the Federal University of Technology, Nigeria

FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson met with the Honorable Prof. Adebiyi Gregory Daramola, vice chancellor for the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish and strengthen scholarly academic opportunities.

FAMU and the Federal University of Technology, Akure agreed to exchange faculty and staff for short, medium or long-term periods, which will enhance and guarantee further scientific and scholarly cooperation in teaching and research.  In addition, the collaboration also includes the following:

• Increase student and faculty global research development in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM);
• Increase international student enrollment at FAMU at the master’s and doctoral levels;
• Increase FUTA graduate students research capability using state-of-the-art research equipment at FAMU; and
• Pursue joint research opportunities to fund students/faculty research, curriculum and institutional capacity development at both universities.   

“Florida A&M University is looking forward to building this relationship with the Federal University of Technology, Akure,” said FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson. “This partnership provides our faculty opportunities to expand their research and educational activities and prepares our students to more effectively compete in the global marketplace.”

Accompanying the Daramola were Prof. Emmanuel A. Fashakin, deputy vice chancellor and Prof. Benjamin O. Adewuyi, head of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials and Engineering and Lanre Ogunti, senior lecturer in electrical engineering and a FAMU alumnus.

“The FUTA team that has come to FAMU gives effect to a potentially great relationship considering the similarities in the two universities’ missions and mandates, especially in agriculture and engineering,” Daramola said. “I consider this a ‘win-win’ relationship for both institutions and a hand shake across the Atlantic.”

This collaboration is part of FAMU Professor Peter Kalu’s Fulbright research in Nigeria.  Kalu was selected as a Fulbright Scholar grantee to Nigeria by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. He conducted research in Nigeria from August 2009 to June 2010, on an alternative method of hardening metal – pack cyaniding of mild steel using cassava leaves, an indigenous, raw material.