Advancing collaboration through the Edinburgh–Ibadan partnership

A recent visit to the University of Ibadan in Nigeria highlighted the strength of the developing relationship between the two institutions and the range of opportunities for future collaboration. The visit, which took place in March 2026, offered a valuable opportunity to explore shared priorities and identify practical next steps across research, education and innovation.

This partnership between Edinburgh and Ibadan was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2026, but the partnership had been developing since November 2024 with the collaboration focused from Edinburgh's side through the Centre for Adapting to Changing Environments (ACE) in the Edinburgh Earth Initiative (EEI).

Recent discussions in Ibadan highlighted a broad range of areas in which the two institutions have clear shared interests, including sustainable agriculture and food security, future food systems, climate leadership, human-tropical forest interactions, ecological and biodiversity studies, public health, infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance. There was also interest in cross-cutting themes such as One Health, systems approaches to health, medical library collaboration, and innovation for climate adaptation.

The visit also highlighted a number of practical next steps to maintain momentum and translate initial discussions into activity. These included digital activities such as online lectures and panel discussions, student projects, visiting fellowships and research symposia, alongside stronger links between colleagues across both institutions. Reflections on the successful partnership-building process also emphasise the value of beginning with early practical opportunities, including visiting scholarships and library access for early-career researchers, as a way of building a foundation for more substantial collaboration over time.

Since the trip to Ibadan, the partnership’s activities have strengthened, with the Edinburgh Earth Initiative hosting a reciprocal delegation from the University of Ibadan in June. Led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, the delegation consisted of experts from research, engineering, chemistry, and agricultural and environmental engineering. During their visit, the group met with senior leaders from the University of Edinburgh, including Sir Peter Mathieson (Principal and Vice-Chancellor), Professor Kim Graham (Provost), the Professor Liz Baggs (Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation) and Professor Tom Bruce (Dean International, College of Science and Engineering).

Immediate plans for the partnership include the implementation of the MoU between the two universities, which was signed during the trip to Ibadan in March. The MoU focuses on climate and environment research and innovation.

As the relationship develops, the University of Ibadan partnership provides a compelling illustration of the University’s wider partnership approach: building meaningful institutional links that support shared learning, strengthen capacity, and open up new routes for collaborative impact. By connecting expertise across disciplines while remaining grounded in locally relevant priorities, the partnership has the potential to support longer-term work on climate resilience, sustainable development and health. The visit underlined both the breadth of opportunity and the importance of sustained follow-up to ensure that promising discussions develop into practical collaboration.