A Nigerian delegation, hosted by the 1890 Universities Center of Excellence for Global Food Security and Defense, visited UMES on Feb. 14-15. The overall goal of this consultative visit by a delegation of 10 officials from the Country of Nigeria led by Honorable Arc. Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, is to understudy key strategic partners on sustainable and integrated models as blueprints for Innovation Labs, Innovation Hubs and Entrepreneur Centers in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions.
More specifically, the delegation came to UMES to identify key innovation labs in U.S. institutions for strategic alignment with Nigerian regional in-country innovation labs/hubs; develop mechanisms for innovation lab linkages where research activities can thrive; develop an Innovative Entrepreneurship Education curriculum model that leads to business startups (i.e., strategic linkages/mentorships with Directors of Entrepreneurship Centers in Nigeria); and explore incubation and clustering of innovations for regional advancement including Incubation Hub/Entrepreneurs’ Center and more.
The delegation received a warm welcome from Dr. Rondall Allen, UMES provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Allen ensured the delegation of both his and University’s support for any project Tertiary Education Trust Fund would undertake in collaboration with the CEGFSD. Echono also reiterated his commitment to a successful partnership. The delegation visited the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, led by Dr. Pamela Allison, director and endowed chair.
Four major outcomes of this meeting include:
- Develop a memorandum of understanding between UMES and TETFund.
- Establish six Centers of Excellence in six identified Nigerian regions with UMES’ help. (Regions based on local expertise and agro-ecological zones, using CEGFSD as a model.)
- UMES will help establish a Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (using UMES Center’s Model).
- Develop Scholars Exchange Program: Short-term training of identified Nigerian scholars at UMES and long-term of scholars at M.S. and Ph.D. levels in Food and Agricultural Sciences at UMES.
It is worth noting that the Nigerian delegation visit to UMES was initiated by one of the CEGFSD Executive Board members, Dr. Ibrahim Katampe, chemistry professor and assistant director for Innovation and Technology Transfer at Central State University.
