Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has entered into a strategic partnership with Kigali Independent University (ULK), Rwanda, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening academic cooperation across Africa.
The agreement, signed virtually on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, establishes a framework for collaboration in teaching, research, innovation, staff development and student exchange programmes.
The partnership will cover several academic fields, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Education, Humanities, Management and the Social Sciences. It is expected to promote the exchange of knowledge, foster scientific and cultural cooperation, and encourage joint research on issues of mutual interest.
Under the agreement, both institutions will jointly organise conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, symposia and professional short courses. They also agreed to exchange scholarly publications and scientific information, develop academic curricula together, and undertake collaborative research projects.
The MoU further provides for joint teaching initiatives, staff development programmes, academic and administrative staff exchanges, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate student exchange opportunities. Both universities will also collaborate in the supervision of Master’s and PhD candidates while holding regular meetings to evaluate progress and identify new areas of cooperation.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the partnership, each institution will appoint a coordinator to oversee agreed activities. The agreement also safeguards intellectual property rights arising from joint research and innovation while allowing both universities to seek funding from internal and external sources for collaborative projects.
The five-year agreement, which is renewable by mutual consent, also outlines mechanisms for resolving disputes amicably and clarifies that it does not create legally binding financial obligations for either institution.
During the virtual signing ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, was joined by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Alex Asigbo; the Registrar, Dr. Chinenye Gloria Okeke; the University Librarian, Prof. Jacinta Eze; and the Director of International Collaboration and Linkages, Prof. Charles Nwadigwe.
Prof. Anyaehie highlighted UNIZIK’s academic programmes, campuses and affiliated institutions, expressing confidence that the collaboration would deliver mutual benefits and contribute to expanding research, knowledge sharing and academic excellence across the African continent.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Kigali Independent University by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Martins Onyekwelu Onuorah.
UNIZIK said the partnership aligns with its internationalisation agenda and reflects its commitment to building strategic global relationships that will enhance teaching, research, innovation, capacity building and academic mobility for both staff and students.
