Washington, D.C.- July 7, 2014: The William V.S. Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, Liberia and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, have signed a land-mark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which the two institutions of higher learning have identified mutually beneficial objectives in cooperating in the delivery of instructional services.According to a dispatch from the Liberian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the MOU was signed on June 30, 2014, at an impressive and well-attended ceremony held at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD.Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Russell, President of the W.V.S. Tubman University, signed on behalf of her institution, while Dr. David Wilson, President of Morgan State University, signed on behalf of Morgan State.The benefits of the MOU include but not limited to enhancing the preparation of a diverse and internationally competent workforce; developing undergraduate and graduate curricula that include theory and research on international topics relevant to Tubman University and Morgan State University.Other benefits under the MOU include expanding professional developments and continuing education opportunities and professional programs offered by the two universities. These include but are not limited to Architecture and Planning, Business Administration, Education, and Engineering.The MOU also includes advancing new online and distance education instructional modalities appropriate for international students and cross border studies.According to the MOU, the mutual interest of both universities in collaborating on international and inter-institutional educational development initiatives, curricula development, academic programs, and workforce development projects is consistent with the objectives of the 2007 Sister State Program Agreement between the State of Maryland, USA and Bong County and Maryland County of Liberia, as well as the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue launched in 2013 by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.The Objectives of the Sister State Program Agreement is to enhance the “many opportunities for cooperation in business and industry, arts and culture, education” and also to “build long-term relationships, promote commercial cooperation and develop joint programs of exchange in all of these areas.”In remarks before the signing of the MOU, both Dr. Davis-Russell of Tubman University and Dr. Wilson of Morgan State University affirmed their commitment to ensuring that the terms of the MOU are fully implemented for the benefits of the two institutions and countries.Dr. Davis-Russell gave a brief history of Tubman University, established following the end of Liberia’s 14-year devastating civil war, which disrupted the educational process of the young population during that period. Despite the tremendous challenges, she added, Tubman University is endeavoring to carry out its mission to provide quality educational experiences that transform lives of individuals for worthy service.For his part, Dr. Wilson said Morgan State University looks forward to full engagement with Tubman University in carrying out programs that would be mutually beneficial.Also speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary of State for the State of Maryland, Honorable John P. McDonough, who is a staunch supporter of the Maryland Liberia Sister State relationship, noted that the State of Maryland will continue to explore avenues to further concretize the relationship between the State of Maryland and Liberia.Deputizing for Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Jeremiah C. Sulunteh, Honorable Gabriel I.H. Williams, Minister Counselor for Press and Public Affairs at the Embassy of Liberia near Washington, D.C., indicated that the Government and people of Liberia welcome the MOU, and hope that it would be implemented for the benefits of the two universities and countries. Honorable Williams also used the occasion to applaud three historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. - Morgan State University, Howard University in Washington, D.C. and Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama – for the involvement of architecture students from those three universities in preparing an architectural design for the Tubman University E-brary and Learning Center.Called the Harriet Tubman Centennial Architectural Design Challenge, architectural students from the three universities were engaged in a design challenge with each proposing a design for the E-brary and Learning Center. For a final design, nine architectural students from the three universities recently traveled to Maryland County, Liberia for a first-hand experience. The final design of the E-brary was announced following presentation of three designs at a ceremony held at Howard University on June 27, 2014. The W.V. S. Tubman E-brary is designed as a state of the art and futuristic project, which will be a regular library and learning center with electronic books that will enable students, faculty, and researchers to have access to books and other academic materials globally through the Internet.The E-brary project is being driven by the W.V.S. Tubman University Foundation, and the Marylanders for Progress (MFP), a philanthropic organizations of Marylanders in the U.S. contributing to the progress of Maryland County and Liberia as a whole. Mr. Gerald F.B. Cooper, member of the board of the Tubman University Foundation and the MFP, is the Chair of the W.V. S. Tubman E-brary project. The W.V.S. Tubman Foundation and MFP, together with the Maryland Liberia Sister State Committee, have been actively contributing to the progress in Maryland and Bong Counties in Liberia.Among those at the signing of the MOU were members of the Board of Regents of Morgan State University, the Chair and members of the Board of the Tubman University Foundation, students involved with the E-brary architecture design, and faculty of Morgan State University. Below are some pictures from the event:
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