Lagos State University has taken another significant step towards strengthening its global partnerships with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United States-based Millennium Campus Network (MCN), paving the way for the University to host a landmark global leadership summit in March 2027.
The agreement was formally signed at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, with representatives of the Millennium Campus Network joining virtually from different parts of the world.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi OLATUNJI-BELLO, described the MoU as the beginning of a strategic partnership founded on shared values, academic excellence, innovation and global engagement. She stated that the collaboration would promote capacity building, facilitate knowledge exchange and create opportunities for students and staff to engage meaningfully on the global stage, while fostering transparency, accountability and mutual respect between both institutions.
Professor OLATUNJI-BELLO noted that the partnership aligns with LASU’s vision of expanding its global footprint through impactful international collaborations. She expressed confidence that the alliance with the Millennium Campus Network would empower students as change-makers, strengthen institutional capacity and contribute to addressing pressing societal challenges. She also commended all stakeholders whose efforts culminated in the successful signing of the MoU, with two alumni of the University, Kehinde Adebiyi and Victor Daniel, earning special commendation for their instrumental role in facilitating the partnership and bringing the agreement to fruition.
Commenting on the partnership, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics and Chairman of the Partnership Steering Committee, Prof. Oseni Taiwo, expressed his delight that the initiative was finally coming to reality after several months of behind-the-scenes engagement. He congratulated both institutions on the feat, while reiterating LASU’s readiness to host the event.
In his response, the Executive Director of the Millennium Campus Network, Sam VAGHAR, expressed appreciation for the remarkable growth of the Millennium Fellowship, which now spans nearly 300 universities in 47 countries. He acknowledged Nigeria’s growing role in the initiative and commended Lagos State University for its civic leadership and unwavering support for young people, describing the University as a global model for nurturing the next generation of change-makers.
VAGHAR expressed enthusiasm about deepening the partnership with Lagos State University as the Institutional Host of the forthcoming global leadership summit and looked forward to visiting the University in March 2027 for the event, which will bring together more than 1,000 students, educators, policymakers, institutional leaders and global partners on the LASU campus to advance youth leadership, innovation and sustainable development.
The partnership will also facilitate the planning and delivery of the three-day summit, featuring youth leadership engagements, high-level dialogues, capacity-building sessions, and a global hybrid convening of Millennium Fellows worldwide.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding further reinforces Lagos State University’s commitment to internationalisation, strategic partnerships and the development of globally competitive graduates equipped to drive positive change in their communities and beyond.