Prof. John Strachan, Dr. Sheku Fofanah, and Prof. Rebecca McGuire‑Snieckus of Bath Spa University today (04/02/2026) paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Dr. Morie Komba Manyeh, at the Sierra Leone High Commission in London.
This follows a highly successful working visit to Sierra Leone, where the Bath Spa academics recently engaged with leading universities and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education to explore collaborative opportunities.
During their courtesy call, the delegation discussed next steps in a multi-disciplinary partnership aimed at advancing research, curriculum development, and capacity building in higher education institutions in Sierra Leone, in collaboration with selected UK universities.
Prof. Strachan, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Bath, has considerable expertise in cultural history and global higher education. Dr. Fofanah, Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, specialises in public sector governance, leadership, and development policy. Prof. McGuire‑Snieckus, Emeritus Professor in Teaching, Learning and Psychology, has extensive mastery in educational practice and psychology. Together, they are exploring ways in which UK and Sierra Leonean universities can collaborate to strengthen research excellence and deepen institutional partnerships.
Key outcomes of today’s visit included the presentation of two funding options for the project by Prof. McGuire‑Snieckus, and an agreement to invite a Sierra Leonean delegation for an MoU signing in July 2026, involving officials from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, the Tertiary Education Commission, Fourah Bay College, Njala University, UniMak, and UnimTech.
H.E. Dr. Morie Manyeh, himself a distinguished academic, expressed his appreciation to the visitors and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the agreed points through his engagements with headquarters.
Today’s visit marks another exciting step in building sustainable, interdisciplinary research partnerships between the UK and Sierra Leone, fostering collaboration across sectors and strengthening academic ties for long-term impact.
Abdulai Braima
Information Attaché
SLHC- London