MONROVIA – The University of Liberia is preparing to formally inaugurate a new Center of Excellence in collaboration with Sharda University of India, with a distinguished group of Liberian and international scholars, academics, researchers and professionals set to receive recognition for their contributions to the initiative.
The official inauguration is scheduled for November 25 at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Sinkor, where the contributors to the Center of Excellence’s framework document will be honored for their roles in shaping an initiative expected to deepen academic cooperation, research and professional development.
At the heart of the initiative is an expanding academic relationship between the University of Liberia and Sharda University, with the Center of Excellence representing an effort to create a structured platform for scholarship, research, international cooperation and knowledge exchange.
Among those being recognized is Dr. Ashok Daryani, President of the International Relations Division at Sharda Group of Companies and Sharda University in Greater Noida, India. Dr. Daryani has been a strong advocate for the establishment of the Center of Excellence and has worked to advance collaboration between the two institutions.
His involvement places international academic cooperation at the center of the initiative, particularly as Liberia’s premier public university seeks to expand its academic relationships beyond its traditional partnerships.
The role of University of Liberia President Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan is also expected to receive particular recognition. Dr. Maparyan has endorsed the final framework document of the Center of Excellence and has contributed to the development of the Sharda CoE.
Her leadership comes at a time when the University of Liberia is seeking to redefine its academic direction. Among her stated aspirations is the transformation of UL into a Ph.D.-centric university in West Africa, a vision that places advanced research and postgraduate education at the center of the institution’s future.
The Center of Excellence therefore comes at an important point in the university’s development, offering an opportunity to connect institutional reform with international academic cooperation.
Another key contributor is Prof. Dr. Syrulwa Somah, former President of Margibi University and a resident of Greenborg, North Carolina, USA. Dr. Somah contributed to the Center of Excellence framework and brings extensive academic and administrative experience to the initiative, including service as Vice President for Administration at William V.S. Tubman University.
Senator Numene T.H. Bartekwa, Chair of the University of Liberia Board of Trustees and Chair of the Senate Committee on Concessions and Investment, is also among the contributors being recognized. Despite his responsibilities in government, Senator Bartekwa continues to teach at the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, where he contributes to political and social science education.
His involvement gives the initiative an additional connection between higher education, public policy and national development.
The framework has also benefited from the research expertise of Rev. Allen Paye, Deputy Director of Social Science Research at the Liberia Institute of Policy Studies and an instructor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the Amos C. Sawyer College. Rev. Paye, who holds a BA and MA and is pursuing a Ph.D., has published peer-reviewed research in international journals.
From India, Mr. Sachin Saini, Manager of the International Relations Division at Sharda University, has played an instrumental role in establishing the UL-Sharda Center of Excellence. His background in engineering, development communication and international relations has contributed to the collaborative process.
The framework has further drawn on the expertise of academics and professionals including Mr. Bill K. Jarkloh, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of English and Language Studies; Mr. Andrew Sieh Nyenswa, an instructor of Political Science with expertise in peace studies and conflict resolution; and Mr. Bartu C. Gray, affiliated with Arizona State University and based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Assistant Prof. Cllr. Mark Bedo-Wla Freeman has contributed his legal expertise to the formulation of the framework, bringing academic and professional experience across law and related disciplines.
At the center of the coordination effort is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Josephus Gbala-hinnih Moses Gray, Doyen of Deans at the University of Liberia and Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College, who also serves as a visiting professor at Sharda University.
Dr. Gray has coordinated and facilitated the development of the Center of Excellence and led its management team. His academic and professional background spans diplomacy, journalism, communication, international relations and global affairs.
He is also the author of The Effect of Diplomacy: Liberia, US, China’s Triangular Relations, a book that has been translated into four major languages and is available in 162 countries and through online bookstores. His fourth book is expected to be released early next year.
The November 25 inauguration is therefore expected to be more than a ceremonial launch. It will bring together the individuals who helped develop the framework behind the Center of Excellence and formally recognize their contributions to an initiative designed to strengthen Liberia’s position within the international academic community.
For the University of Liberia, the establishment of the Center of Excellence presents an opportunity to deepen international partnerships while expanding the institution’s research, teaching and professional development capacity.
The recognition of the contributors also highlights the collaborative nature of the initiative, bringing together university administrators, professors, researchers, government officials, legal professionals, journalists and international academic partners around a common educational objective.
As the University of Liberia continues to pursue a more research-oriented and internationally connected academic future, the UL-Sharda Center of Excellence is emerging as one of the initiatives expected to contribute to that transformation.
