UIC and Lagos State University Sign Memorandum of Agreement
Introduction
Chicago and Lagos are more than 5,800 miles apart, but the two global cities face many of the same public health challenges, from protecting health in dense urban environments to preparing for emergencies, responding to climate stress, and using innovation to improve lives.
Those shared priorities were the focus of a July 28 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing ceremony between the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and Nigeria’s Lagos State University (LASU). The agreement establishes a framework for academic collaboration, joint research, student and faculty exchange, and global health partnership. The ceremony brought together leaders from the UIC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, the UIC School of Public Health (SPH), the UIC Office of Global Engagement, and LASU.
UIC representatives included Dr. James Hammerschmidt, Interim Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Executive Director of the Office of International Services; Dr. Michele Mariscalco, Associate Vice Chancellor in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs; Dr. Shawn Conner-Rondot, Assistant Vice Provost for Global Engagement; and Dean Wayne Giles of UIC SPH.
Part 2
The LASU delegation included Mr. Babatunde Ogala, Pro-Chancellor of LASU and Chairman of the LASU Governing Council; Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, Vice-Chancellor of LASU; Mr. Towanu Abiodun Hundeyin, Member of the LASU Governing Council; and Mr. Emmanuel Abiodun Fanu, Registrar and Secretary to the LASU Governing Council.
“This agreement represents another important milestone in Lagos State University’s internationalization agenda,” explained Olatunji-Bello. “The partnership aligns with my vision of positioning LASU as a globally competitive institution, a vision that has continued to enjoy the unwavering support of the 13th Governing Council.”
The agreement was ceremonially signed by Olatunji-Bello and Fanu on behalf of LASU, and by Mariscalco and Giles on behalf of the Illinois Board of Trustees as representatives of UIC and UIC SPH.
The partnership was advanced through the efforts of Professor Babatunde Olowokure, Associate Dean for Global Health and Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at UIC SPH, and Professor Oseni Taiwo Afisi, FSPSP, FCP, MCIoD, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics at LASU.
“For both institutions, success will mean more than a signed document,” said Olowokure. “It will mean a sustainable partnership connecting two global cities through innovation, scholarship and public service, while helping shape the future of urban health and global resilience.”
Part 3
Olatunji-Bello acknowledged Afisi’s contributions to the partnership, saying, “Professor Afisi’s commitment, strategic engagements, and sustained efforts were instrumental to the successful consummation of this partnership.”
UIC SPH and LASU also recognized Professor Shaffdeen A. Amuwo, Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus in the Division of Community Health Sciences at UIC SPH and a member of the LASU Governing Council, for his support in strengthening the collaboration.
“We are confident that this partnership will open up new frontiers of collaboration between the two institutions as Lagos State University continues to consolidate its position as one of Nigeria’s leading universities,” concurred Ogala.
Following the signing, participants joined a roundtable discussion moderated by Olowokure. The conversation focused on turning shared priorities into action, including structured planning, joint implementation, and opportunities to strengthen both institutions’ global academic impact.
The long-term vision for the partnership includes faculty and student exchanges, joint research endeavors focused on AI-enabled public health tools, climate monitoring systems, urban health and emergency preparedness, as well as influencing policies informed by UIC-LASU research.