{"id":27451,"date":"2026-07-28T11:28:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:28:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ul.edu.lr\/new\/?p=27451"},"modified":"2026-07-28T15:20:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T15:20:42","slug":"three-faculty-earn-phd-scholarships-in-boost-to-ul-academic-capacity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ul.edu.lr\/new\/three-faculty-earn-phd-scholarships-in-boost-to-ul-academic-capacity\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Faculty Earn PhD Scholarships in Boost to UL Academic Capacity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Three Faculty Earn PhD Scholarships in Boost to UL Academic Capacity<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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Fendall Campus, July 28, 2026<\/strong> \u2013 Three University of Liberia faculty members have secured scholarships to pursue doctoral studies at a globally recognized university, marking another significant step in UL\u2019s ongoing efforts to strengthen the academic qualifications and research capacity of its faculty by expanding the proportion of instructors holding terminal degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The instructors Jankai Abdullah Sesay, Konah B. Ballah and Matthew Gonmah, all hailing from the Dr. Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, arrived July 22, 2026, in India where they will be studying at the University of Delhi through fully funded scholarships awarded by the Embassy of India in Liberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[This journey] is a testament to the power of perseverance, international cooperation and the transformative impact of education,\u201d said Ballah, a political science lecturer who will be pursuing a PhD in political science. \u201cI remain committed to using the knowledge and experience I gain to advance the mission of the University of Liberia and to help shape a brighter future for my country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The title of Ballah\u2019s PhD research is \u201cThe Role of Children in Liberia’s Second Civil War: A Case Study of Armed Mobilization and State Authority, 1997\u20132003.\u201d Gonmah, a lecturer in the Department of Social Work, will work on a PhD in social work; and Sesay, an instructor in the Department of History, is pursuing a PhD in history. They are recipients of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through UL\u2019s Study Leave Program, the three faculty members have been granted leave from their academic responsibilities, enabling them to take advantage of the scholarship opportunities and undertake full-time doctoral studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The three UL faculty members, who recently arrived at the University of Delhi, are recipients of the ICCR India\u2013Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme, a Government of India-funded program offered through the Embassy of India in Liberia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The cohort joins a growing number of UL faculty members pursuing or completing advanced degrees abroad through scholarship programs and other opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UL President Layli Maparyan said the university\u2019s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan names \u2018Creating a Ph.D.-centric University\u2019 as one of its leading academic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving more PhDs is important because terminal degree holders cement the stature of the university, drive its research productivity, maximize the depth and breadth of the curriculum, and ultimately help us raise the international ranking of our university in line with national development goals,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University has been pursuing faculty development through various avenues, including UL sponsorship, external scholarships, institutional partnerships and collaborations with universities and organizations at home and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are currently more than 40 UL faculty members on Study Leave across the globe, and some instructors are studying at top-flight institutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt adds prestige to our university when our PhD holders obtain their degrees from other institutions that are highly regarded globally,\u201d Dr. Maparyan said. \u201cThe University of Delhi, where we are now sending three students for PhD study, is one of the best institutions India, Asia, and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Liz Kamara, a lecturer in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, began her PhD last August in marine science and conservation at the prestigious Duke University in the U.S. Earlier this year, Luther Whian, Sr., a demography instructor, began his PhD in population studies at the University of Ghana, a leading university in Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is not just our university that benefits, but these institutions also benefit by being able to proclaim that their graduates are serving as faculty all over the world,\u201d Dr. Maparyan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offered through the Embassy of India in Liberia, the ICCR India\u2013Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme is a Government of India-funded program that provides African students with scholarships to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies at Indian universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The newly arrived UL faculty members at the University of Delhi expressed much excitement and pride in receiving the scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Matthew
Matthew Gonmah, a lecturer in UL\u2019s Department of Social Work, will pursue a PhD in social work. His research is titled \u201cSocial Protection and Informal Care in Elderly Care: Policy Gaps, Family Support Systems, and Implications for Social Work in Liberia.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Jankai
Jankai Abdullah Sesay, a UL history lecturer, will pursue a PhD in history. His research is titled \u201cThe Rebirth of Independence in Africa: Liberia as a Case Study, 1945- 2000.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Konah
Konah B. Ballah, a lecturer in UL\u2019s Department of Political Science, is pursuing a PhD in political science. His PhD research titled is \u201cThe Role of Children in Liberia’s Second Civil War: A Case Study of Armed Mobilization and State Authority, 1997\u20132003.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReceiving the ICCR Ph.D. Scholarship was one of the proudest moments of my academic life,\u201d said Gonmah, whose PhD research is titled \u201cSocial Protection and Informal Care in Elderly Care: Policy Gaps, Family Support Systems, and Implications for Social Work in Liberia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gonmah said he \u201cfelt deeply honored, grateful, and humbled that my hard work and dedication had been recognized. More importantly, I saw the scholarship not simply as a personal achievement but as an opportunity to represent the University of Liberia and my country on an international academic platform.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the cohort also expressed deep gratitude to the Indian Embassy, UL, Dr. Maparyan, their respective departments and the University of Liberia Faculty Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis success story is a testament to the power of teamwork, institutional collaboration and visionary leadership,\u201d said Sesay, whose PhD research is titled \u201cThe Rebirth of Independence in Africa: Liberia as a Case Study 1945-2000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sesay added: \u201cTo the entire University of Liberia community, I wish to assure you that this scholarship is not merely an opportunity for individual academic advancement but an investment in the future of our institution and our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said upon completion of their doctoral studies, he and fellow scholars will \u201creturn to Liberia equipped with advanced knowledge, enhanced research competencies, innovative teaching methodologies, and broader international academic exposure. We remain committed to applying these skills toward improving higher education, strengthening historical scholarship, mentoring future generations of scholars, and contributing to national development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UL has recently created several new graduate programs, including PhD\u2019s in gender studies and in international affairs, and Dr. Maparyan said, \u201cPhD holders are required to lend legitimacy to those programs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cGraduates of our programs will benefit from having worked with PhD holders, and they will achieve the respect they deserve, especially internationally, if our academic departments and programs are PhD.-centric.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more faculty members slated to leave Liberia this year for Study Leave opportunities, the President said the university is on the right path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cIt\u2019s a great feeling knowing that we are on our way to becoming a PhD-centric university,\u201d she said. \u201cThis burst of momentum lets me know that good things are on the horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three Faculty Earn PhD Scholarships in Boost to UL Academic Capacity Fendall Campus, July 28, 2026 \u2013 Three University of Liberia faculty members have secured scholarships to pursue doctoral studies…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":11,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t