News 2014: UMass Dartmouth signs first Memorandum of Understanding with African University

News 2014: UMass Dartmouth signs first Memorandum of Understanding with African University
UMass Dartmouth signs first Memorandum of Understanding with African University

Agreement creates framework for collaboration in areas of teaching, research and service for University's Charlton College of Business

UMass Dartmouth's Charlton College of Business is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Abuja located in the capital city of Nigeria. This agreement is the first of its kind for UMass Dartmouth with an African University. The agreement sets forth a framework for both institutions to collaborate in areas of teaching, research, and service.

"Congratulations to our College of Business faculty and staff in securing this new international partnership," said Charlton College of Business Dean A. "Guna" Gunasekaran. "Establishing new opportunities in business education and research from a global perspective enhances our students' transformative educational experience."

"One of the challenges facing Nigeria is the limited capacity of its universities and colleges to meet the growing demand for higher education by its citizens," said UMass Dartmouth Assistant Professor of Marketing Dr. Godwin Ariguzo, who facilitated the signing of the MOU with the University of Abuja. "International education and collaborations of this type promote knowledge exchange between global communities and enriches the lives of their citizenry."

Nigeria has the eighth largest population in the world at 180 million people. The country became the leading economy in Africa in 2013 with an estimated GDP of $502 billion. In addition, Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and was the world's fourth leading exporter of natural gas in 2012, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

"One of the challenges facing Nigeria is the limited capacity of its universities and colleges to meet the growing demand for higher education by its citizens," said UMass Dartmouth assistant professor marketing Dr. Godwin Ariguzo, who facilitated the signing of the MOU with the University of Abuja. "International education and collaborations of this type promote knowledge exchange between global communities and enriches the lives of their citizenry."

Dr. Ariguzo has led 114 students to study in Germany since 2008. He also serves as a visiting professor at Ostfalia University in Wolfsburg. Students from UMass Dartmouth, Ostfalia University, and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga took part in Dr. Ariguzo's classes this summer, as part of the Ostfalia network of American and EuropeanUniversities and lecturers.

UMass Dartmouth recently launched its strategic plan, UMassDTransform2020, with one of its main goals being to establish highly productive collaborations, partnerships, and community engagement. Through this strategic plan, UMass Dartmouth's vision is to be a globally recognized premier research university committed to inclusion, access, advancement of knowledge, student success, and community enrichment.

UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.