By- Ayeye Toluwalope 

The University of Ibadan on Monday, June 10, 2024 convened a 48-member Proposal Writing Committee to spearhead its bid for the prestigious MacArthur Foundation’s $100 million grant.

The committee, convened by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode Adebowale, aims to build on the University’s past successes with MacArthur Foundation grants, while addressing the shortcomings of its 2016 proposal.

The University plans to collaborate with other MacArthur grant recipients, including the Consortium for Advanced Research and Training in Africa (CARTA) and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA).

The goal according to the Vice Chancellor ‘is to become a hub for research and academic excellence in Africa’.

The MacArthur Grants Liaison Officer, Professor Rotimi Oderinde, highlighted the University’s successful history with MacArthur grants, dating back to 2002.

Professor Oderinde emphasized the University’s determination to secure the $100 million grant ‘to drive significant and durable change in the world’.

The grant competition is open to organizations worldwide, and proposals must identify a critical social challenge and offer a solution that promises lasting impact.

The University of Ibadan as an academic institution is determined to submit a winning proposal, leveraging on its spirit of scholarship and collaborative approach.