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������Ƶ’s Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Education recently was awarded a $50,000 grant to help train teachers in southwestern Nigeria.

Amanda Johnson, Ph.D., director of the Read Center, recently spent a week in Ogun State, Nigeria, where she met with education and government officials who were eager to share in ������Ƶ State’s expertise.

The effort was born out of work the Read Center conducts on the ������Ƶ Campus through the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) programs, in which groups of teachers from across the globe come to ������Ƶ State to learn improved teaching techniques.

Johnson told ������Ƶ State Today her Nigerian visit was arranged by Kayode Adewale, Ph.D., who is an alumnus of the Read Center’s Fulbright TEA program, and who is an education ambassador for the state of Ogun in southwestern Nigeria.

“Dr. Adewale is leading an ambitious effort to transform secondary education in Ogun State, and our role is to partner with him and the ministry to bring evidence-based teacher leadership models to support that change,” Johnson said.

She went to Nigeria at the request of Adewale to aid in advancing his educational reforms and worked to help train school principals and vice principals on U.S. teacher leadership models.

While there, Johnson also conducted workshops for secondary educators, reinforcing ������Ƶ State’s role in evidence-based professional development. The Read Center is part of ������Ƶ State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services.

“I talked about the scholarship of teaching and learning and how to include that in the classroom, how your classrooms are incubators for research,” she said.

In March, Johnson applied for a grant from the U.S. consulate in Lagos, Nigeria, and during her visit in August, learned that the award had been granted to the Read Center.

“It was an amazing week of meetings and trainings where I partnered with Dr. Adewale and the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology,” Johnson said.

During her visit, Johnson met with Oluwatosin Oloko, permanent secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and with officials from Tai Solarin University of Education to discuss strengthening partnerships and advancing collaborative initiatives with ������Ƶ State. She also delivered a training session for all policymakers in the ministry on school educators as leaders and scholars. 

In addition, she connected with vice chancellors from Olabisi Onabanjo and Aletheia universities on related education issues. Johnson said she also was invited to attend a royal reception while in Nigeria and spent time visiting other sites, including the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library.

“The visit advanced ������Ƶ State’s visibility, strengthened partnerships and laid the groundwork for formal agreements in education and research,” Johnson said. “We delivered impactful training sessions, showcasing ������Ƶ State’s expertise in leadership, teacher well-being, and educational innovation.”

A highlight of the trip, Johnson said, was getting to reconnect with former Fulbright TEA alumni in Nigeria.

Johnson said her goal is to take ������Ƶ State faculty back to Ogun State, hopefully in early 2026, to offer additional training.

“There’s just a lot of potential for collaboration,” she said.

“This high-profile visit significantly elevated ������Ƶ’s visibility in Nigeria, reinforced its reputation as a leader in global education, and set the stage for sustained academic partnerships, faculty engagement, and collaborative research opportunities in West Africa,” she said.

Paulo Mussi Augusto, Ph.D., associate vice president for the Office of Global Education, said the office is always pleased to support ������Ƶ State educators who find ways to share their expertise across the globe.

“The Read Center’s initiative in Nigeria exemplifies ������Ƶ State’s commitment to global engagement, advancing educational excellence across borders while directly contributing to our mission and strengthening our international presence,”  he said.

Similar efforts, he added, are taking place in the city of Niger, Nigeria, and all inroads help to open a pipeline for students from Nigeria who may be interested in studying at ������Ƶ State.