An Associate Professor and Director of Student Recruitment at the University of Nottingham, Faculty of Engineering, Dr Mohamed Elmaghrbi, has promised to drive the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Covenant University and the University of Nottingham to the point of fruition.

Dr. Elmaghrbi made the commitment during a courtesy visit to Covenant University. He said the next collaboration will entail a robust exchange programme that will cut across students’ mobility, staff collaboration in the area of research, joint grant application, joint supervision of research endeavours of graduate school students and a teaching exchange initiative.

Dr Elmaghrbi, who came in the company of the International Business and Development Manager, University of Nottingham, Emma Tarrant Tayou, said he hopes to deepen the existing relationship with Covenant, while also looking at the possibility of expanding the frontiers of the future partnership. "I am looking forward to a fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship as it relates to our shared vision as institutions of learning," he added.

The Dean, College of Engineering, Covenant University, Professor David Olukanni, said he was enthused about the proposed MoU, hoping that it would serve as an avenue to further broaden the research, teaching and collaborative base of engineering programmes in the college.

Professor Olukanni stated that the College's final-year students, Heads of Departments and programmes, faculty, and researchers are eager to interact with Dr. Elmaghrbi in order to identify and develop areas of collaboration.

In his remark, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abiodun H. Adebayo, promised to adhere to the full terms of the MoU when activated, noting that Covenant University is not encouraged to sign MoUs that will not inspire development for humanity.

Professor Adebayo called for a more symbiotic relationship that would be of mutual interest to Covenant and the University of Nottingham. According to him, "I hope this relationship will avail students of both institutions the opportunity to explore joint research opportunities and make faculty of Covenant and the University of Nottingham consider partaking of the international visiting scholar's scheme by participating in teaching, joint research, and grant application endeavours," he posited.

Professor Adebayo reiterated the founding vision of Covenant University and her commitment to raising a new generation of leaders through the repositioning of the mindset of the black man to think of possibility and become a solution provider to indigenous and global problems.

Also present at the meeting were the Director, Covenant University Centre for Research Innovation and Discovery, Professor Kolawole Ajanaku; Director, International Office and Linkages, Dr (Engr) Isaac Akinwunmi; and the Director, Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Professor Omotayo Osibanjo.