The high-powered University of Liberia delegation to Sharda University and Sharda Hospital in Knowledge Park, Greater Norda, New Delhi, Republic of India on Monday concluded the official visit.
The visit is imbued with new landmark academic deals and concrete benefits in the interest of the entire state, particularly the nation’s flagship university.
The delegation was headed by the President of the institution, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson, Jr. All of these new landmark academic deals and concrete benefits including exchange of faculty and administrative staff, exchange of Scholars, medical projects, dual degree/credit transfer programs, short and long terms programs, semester credit transfer/study abroad at Sharda university, semester student exchange and conducting collaborative research projects.
Other areas include the establishment of centers of excellence in various fields, joint bachelor and master courses, exchange of Ph.D. scholars, internships and faculty sabbaticals, and exploring cooperative endeavors in research, waiver of fifty percent tuition of the degree program.
Interestingly, the students and faculty of UL will be the most beneficiaries from this unique sealed major academic windfall, beyond UL, other sectors of the LiberianSocietystand to benefit. The University of Liberia’s fruitful academic ties with Sharda University, a distinguished institution of higher learning in India took another positive turn when Dr. Nelson and a delegation representing various sectors of the institution’s including ULFA, ULSA, Chairpersons, Council of Deans, Vice Presidents, arrived in India upon the official invitation of the Sharda University authorities.
The engagements by the two universities have continued to deepen ties between the two institutions of higher learning on academic and developmental levels.
It was a precursor to the historic visit in October 2022 by the three-man ( Atty. Cletus A. Sieh, Coordinator, Office of the President; Prof. Dr Josephus Moses Gray, Dean, Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities and Associate Professor Richmond S. Anderson, Chairperson, Department of Political Science) high-powered delegation from UL to India to strengthen ties with Sharda University.
The historic visit creates a strong impetus for human capital development and academic empowerment.
Since Dr. Nelson took over the affairs of the institution, almost four years now, the flagship university has prestigiously positioned itself on a path of new academic trajectory, thus propelling itself far above redemptive glamour, instead elected to strengthen ties and collaboration at all echelons with emphasis on academic and development that benefiting the entire institution and the country in particular.
During the week’s visit, the delegation held talks and interactions with the various deans, academic directors, doctors, professors, administrators, doctorate students and staffs.
While the President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson held fruitful discussions with the Chairman of Sharda Group of Companies, Hon. Pradeep Kumar Gupta and presented a gift to him. He further held talks with the Vice-Chancellor of Sharda University, Prof. Dr. Sibaram and the President of Sharda University and Director of International Relations of Sharda Group of Companies, Prof. Dr. A. Daryani.
He also presented gifts to the Vice-Chancellor and President of Sharda University. Dr. Nelson and the delegation were taking on guided tours of Sharda University and Sharda Hospital including the various schools and participated in several working sessions at the institution.
The UL delegation returned on Saturday, while Dr. Nelson on Tuesday has arrived in Seoul, South Korea to speak at the International Youth Conference.
The UL president’s trip to South Korea is predicated upon the official invitation extended to him by the organizers of the global affairs which brings together academics, scholars, leaders in higher education, and youth leaders across the globe.
While a member of the UL delegation to India, Dr. Josephus M. Gray will depart India on Saturday, July 23 for an official visit to Paris, Republic of France to strengthen academic ties between UL and Paris Graduate School and Paris University.
UL and the two universities in France have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding which stands out to be a great benefit for the faculty and staffs of the Amos C Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Liberia.
In a related development, the Association of Liberian Students in India on Saturday, 15 July 2023 bestowed honors on the President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson, and the Dean of the Prof. Amos Claudius Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Dr. Josephus M. Gray for their tireless efforts, valuable services to higher education and inclusive education.
The Service Award is one of the highest honors awarded by Liberian students in the field of dynamics leadership, headwork, and commitment to duties. The honoring ceremony took place on Saturday at Sharda University, New Delhi, India.
According to the National President of Liberian Students in India, Mr. James Flomo, the prestigious award recognizes the scope and depth of Dr. Nelson’s activities, contribution to higher education, services to the nation and commitment to quality learning and teaching at the Nation’s flagship university.
Mr. Flomo emphasized that Dr. Nelson and Dr. Gray deserved to be recognized for their distinctive leadership roles as President of the University of Liberia and as Dean of Prof. Amos Claudius Sawyer College respectively.
He disclosed that the two academics are the first public officials from Liberia to be honored with such a prestigious award by Liberian students enrolling in India. Mr. Flomo who outlined some of the difficulties the students are facing in India, said the students believe that the President of UL exemplifies the true meaning of leadership and commitment towards higher education and quality learning. They praised Dr. Nelson for the introduction of eLearning at the university and appealed to him to ensure that eLearning always forms part of teaching and learning at the university.
On behalf of the students, Mr. Flomo expressed gratitude for the week-long visit of the high-powered delegation from the University of Liberia to Sharda University to hold meaningful discussions and seek tangible opportunities for the faculty, staffs and students at the Nation’s flagship university. They described the visit as laudable, necessary, and rewarding, which they believe stands to bring positive Development to the university and the entire educational sector of Liberia.
Presenting the award to Dr. Gray, the president of Liberian students in Greater Noida, New Delhi, India. Ms. Margaret Sumo praised the Dean of Prof. Amos C. Sawyer College for his outstanding leadership and dedication to human development and support towards women’s education and empowerment.
Fortunately, at Sawyer College females outpace men in the college three separate graduation ceremonies held during the academic years 2020, 2021and 2022, respectively.
The valedictorian of the 2022 class was a female while 19 females graduated with high marks above male graduates.
Besides, under Prof. Gray’s leadership more female faculty members have been hired, from 14 when Dr. Gray took over to 49 females, including the hiring of two female chairpersons, while more females have been hired as record officers and administrative secretaries.
Fortunately, the past three convocation Speakers of the College have been females and the task to introduce the speakers was given to female graduates. The MC of the 2922 convocation was a female while female faculty served as MC for the three separate Annual Academic Excellence Recognition and Honoring Programs of Amos C Sawyer College.
Also, females were exceptional during the 2022 final thesis oral defense and presentation. As a result of the academic exercise, two female graduates who outpaced men during the undergraduate final thesis oral defense were awarded a fully-funded master’s degree Scholarship by the Amos C. Sawyer Foundation.
Under Dr. Gray’s leadership, more part-time faculty members status have been changed to full-time faculty with the hiring of about 85 full-time faculty and staffs including the introduction of new degree-granting programs, the review and revision of 90 percent of the College’s curricula, the university sponsorship of faculty and staffs to pursue master’s degree studies and doctorate degree programs in Ghana, Nigeria, America, Netherlands and India.
Other tangibles include the establishment of academic ties with other higher institutions of learning in America, France, Ivory Coast and India as well as the introduction of the college’s newsletter. All these tangibles were achieved due to support given the college by the President of the University of Liberia, Dr. Nelson and support received from the College’s leadership.
According to Ms. Sumo, the honor is a true testimony to the extraordinary contributions Dr. Gray is making to change the trajectory of Amos C. Sawyer College and praised him for supporting women’s interests and engagements in the university.
She named the introduction of undergraduate thesis across the entire College of which two females were awarded scholarships as top of the undergraduate thesis defense and presentation. She also named empowerment of women, the encouragement of hard work as well as other meaningful contributions to quality learning and teaching.
According to the students, they were pleased to honor Prof. Gray for his unrentless support in empowering females, students, faculty and staffs of the Amos C Sawyer College.
She said Dr. Gray continues to seek scholarship opportunities for faculty and students, while at the same time initiating developmental programs, research, and placing emphasis on quality teaching of students through research and education.
She stressed that Dr. Gray has instituted several positive changes at the college, which she described as laudable.
