The president and other administrators from the University of Georgia (UGA) met with high-ranking government and university officials in Liberia and Ghana to explore possibilities for expanding collaborative programs in those countries.
During the August 9–14 trip, the university delegation discussed UGA's current collaborative work in West Africa regarding governance reform and sought to discover new areas of partnership in agricultural assistance.
The delegation from UGA included President Michael Adams, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Arnett Mace, and the Vice President for Government Relations and Vinson Institute Director Steve Wrigley and Deputy Director Jennifer Frum.
The Vinson Institute has developed strong ties in Liberia since beginning a partnership with the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) in 2007. Together, CVIOG and LIPA have worked directly with Liberia's National Assembly to improve efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness in the legislature.
For two weeks in 2008, a group of senators and representatives from Liberia traveled to Georgia and engaged in an intensive training program designed to enhance their understanding of budget development and oversight. Additionally, LIPA staff worked closely with Vinson Institute faculty to develop their own training and assistance programs. CVIOG and LIPA will seek to expand this legislative training program to include members of the executive branch as well.
Another project in Liberia involves CVIOG researcher Dr. Malik Watkins, who is the first Fulbright Scholar to serve in Liberia since the country's civil war. He currently instructs teaching assistants at Cuttington University in Bong County in statistical and policy analysis through the Fulbright Fellowship.
In respect to agriculture, the University of Georgia is internationally recognized for its programs in animal and dairy science, poultry science, plant pathology, and agricultural economics. UGA is already working with West African researchers on cultivation, marketing, and nutritional uses of peanuts through the UGA-managed Peanut Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP).
