The American University of Nigeria (AUN) and Marlboro College of the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the educational experience and cross-cultural understanding of students and faculty at both institutions.
AUN president, Dawn Dekle and her Marlboro College counterpart, Dr. Kevin Quigley signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions when the latter visited AUN earlier this month.
According to a statement from AUN, “The cooperation aims to cultivate engaged learning between students and faculty from AUN and Marlboro College through student exchanges while providing for other joint academic endeavors, such as summer programs or faculty exchanges of mutual benefit.”
Dekle expressed satisfaction with the new relationship. “American University of Nigeria is partnering with the Marlboro College learning community because of Marlboro’s unique liberal arts approach and ‘intentional’ structure of the school. The mission and values of Marlboro mirror our AUN philosophy of education, which is ‘complete education’ and meant to develop academics and skills through coursework and practical training.
“The World Studies Program, Clear Writing Requirement, and Town Meetings at Marlboro allow students to forge deep friendships with other students who have different backgrounds than their own, and allow them to understand how a learning community operates and their own place and responsibility in that educational environment.
“I hope our AUN students embrace the opportunities offered through our partnership with Marlboro College, ready to engage in courageous conversations and form lifelong bonds with everyone,” she said.
Marlboro’s Quigley, who serves on the Board of Trustees at AUN, expressed enthusiasm over the MoU.
“Marlboro is committed to offering students international experiences that expand their horizons and launch them into a life of meaningful work. We already have partnerships in China, Mexico, Germany, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, as well as with domestic programs, and we are thrilled that our first collaboration in Africa is at AUN,” he said.
Quigley, a former President and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association, had worked with AUN Founder and Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, the late Robert Pastor, to launch the Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award which recognizes individuals whose lives were influenced by their interactions with volunteers, leading to a life of service to community and country.
In 2011 at the 50th anniversary of the US Peace Corps, Atiku Abubakar was honored with the Global Award for his contributions to higher education, community development, and democracy in Africa.
“AUN is an ideal partner for Marlboro, with a focus on arts and sciences, but also technology and entrepreneurship, in the interest of future sustainable development. We are fortunate to have this new partner providing the skills and leadership to help students address the social and economic challenges in the region, and the world,” the Director of Global Learning and International Services at Marlboro,Maggie Patari said.
