Capitol Hill Campus, October 14, 2025 — A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Foreign Service Institute (FSI) met this week with the University of Liberia (UL) to explore expanding their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The meeting, held at UL’s Capitol Hill Campus, brought together FSI Director General Mr. Reginald Goodridge, UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan, and IBB Graduate School Director Dr. Mamadou L. Bah to discuss new areas of collaboration between the two institutions.
The engagement marked a significant step toward deepening cooperation between UL and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), reinforcing shared goals to strengthen academic and professional development within Liberia’s diplomatic sector. The current MOU allows FSI students to enter the IBB Graduate School with nine transferable credits (equivalent to three courses). However, it does not yet include reciprocal provisions for IBB students seeking to enroll at the FSI. Discussions focused on broadening cooperation to include joint research and policy development initiatives, academic and training integration, diploma-to-master articulation pathways, and the establishment of a Think Tank on Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies.
Other potential areas include joint certificate and degree programs, co-publications, and evidence-based policy engagement. Other potential areas include joint certificate and degree programs, co-publications, and evidence-based policy engagement. This renewed partnership represents a major stride in bridging research, policy, and practice, further strengthening the link between academia and Liberia’s foreign policy framework. Dr. Maparyan reaffirmed the University’s commitment to building stronger institutional linkages, noting that deeper collaboration between the IBB Graduate School and the FSI will contribute meaningfully to national capacity development, diplomatic excellence, and international engagement.
