A Nigerian-based International Academy for Gender and Peace (IAGP) has presented a package of books to the University of Liberia (UL) before UL starts a graduate program in Gender Studies in September this year.
The presentation of the books on the UL Capitol Hill campus on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, came as a prelude to the start of the Master’s Program in Gender, Peace, and Security at the College of Gender Studies and Interdisciplinary Research, University of Liberia.
The president of the International Academy for Gender and Peace based in Abuja, Fredrick M. Terhemba, presented the books during a meeting with UL authorities in the conference room of the Nathaniel Cassell Building on Capitol Hill.
A leadership team at the University of Liberia has been working toward preparing a presentation to the Academic Coordinating Committee (ACC) and the UL Faculty Senate for approval to start the graduate program this September.
In April last year, IAGP and UL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) after a two-day West African Regional Conference on mainstreaming gender in the security sector in Africa.
The purpose of the MoU is to develop academic and educational cooperation based on equality and reciprocity and to promote sustainable partnership and mutual understanding between UL and IAGP.
Through their collaboration, the two institutions seek to cooperate in multiple areas which may include running programs for Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Gender and Security Studies collaboratively, among others.
The UL’s vice president for Graduate Studies and Research, Jonathan C. Taylor, representing the president of the University of Liberia, thanked Terhemba for the time and energy he and his institution, the IAGP, have put into the collaboration between the two institutions.
Taylor hailed Terhemba for working to ensure that the collaboration is not only on paper but that they are beginning to put some flesh and life into it.
He said thanked Terhemba for his commitment to advancing this process and assured the University of Liberia’s commitment to upholding the collaboration, adding that the University is here to develop programs that are relevant to national imperatives.
Taylor indicated that mainstreaming gender into national development is a priority of the Government of Liberia, and the role of the University of Liberia is to see how it can provide the kind of training and intellectual understanding that support all the development initiatives of this country.
“So, it’s good to know that we have a partner like you in Nigeria; of course, we’ll go a long way with this bilateral Nigeria-Liberia Relations many, many years. And today we are just continuing to build on that,” said Taylor.
He asked Terhemba to, on behalf of the University of Liberia, convey the institution’s appreciation to the International Academy for Gender and Peace, as UL looks forward to beginning the Master’s Program.
Earlier, the vice president for Institutional Development and Planning at the University of Liberia, Weade Kobbah-Boley disclosed that the plan is to start a graduate program in Gender Studies in September at the beginning of the next academic year.
“So, the team is working toward preparing the presentation to the ACC (Academic Coordinating Committee) and the Faculty Senate for approval,” said Vp Kobbah-Boley.
She expressed hope that the timetable to get this off the ground can be adhered to for the commencement of the program on time and said because the program also encompasses security studies, they already have potential students who are ready to enter the program.
However, she noted that they will have to go through the processes and procedures of the University of Liberia.
Taking delivery of the presented books, Madam Luopu Garmai-Blackie, Dean of the College of Gender Studies and Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Liberia, thanked Terhemba on behalf of her College and the University in general.
Dean Garmai-Blackie said the presentation of the books is a prelude to the master’s program in Gender, Peace, and Security at the College of Gender Studies and Interdisciplinary Research, University of Liberia.
She assured Dr. Terhemba that the College will work tirelessly to ensure that the master’s program picks up, adding that they have started initial works.
