Our Partners - The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Since 1989, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has made more than 350 grants totaling nearly $61 million in support of organizations and individuals working to improve the country.| Quick Links |
Its current transition to democracy represents an important opportunity for contributing to both national and regional stability.
MacArthur is committed to helping strengthen Nigeria’s intellectual, scientific, and civil society communities as a means of helping to facilitate the consolidation of democracy and encouraging economic development in the country.
To do this, the Foundation provides support to nongovernmental organizations, universities, independent institutes, some government agencies, and individuals as they work toward improvement in higher education, population and reproductive health, and human rights.
Strengthening African Universities
One of the goals of the MacArthur Foundation in Nigeria is to help improve the country’s higher education system. This pursuit is based upon the belief that strong universities and intellectual freedom are essential to developing and sustaining healthy democratic societies.
As part of its strategy, the MacArthur Foundation is currently working with four of Nigeria’s leading universities— the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, and the University of Port Harcourt— in an effort to strengthen them and bolster reforms that they have initiated.
Support began in 2000 with a series of planning grants to the four institutions, and has been followed up with more substantial funding for a range of activities, including: faculty development; improved facilities for scientific research; new and updated books, journals, and reference materials; exchange programs with universities in other nations; new applications of technology; strengthening of planning and university fundraising and development offices; and linkages with the private sector.
Grants are also awarded to select organizations that provide important resources and technical expertise to the four universities.
And support is provided to supply journals and research materials to them and a number of other universities and research institutions in the country.
Partnership for Higher Education
The Partnership was launched in April 2000 by the Carnegie Corporation, and the Ford, Rockefeller, and MacArthur foundations. The initiative is designed to support efforts, many already underway, by leading African institutions to expand and improve higher education.
Six sub-Saharan African countries are the focus of Partnership activities: Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
To date over $150 million has been awarded. The Foundations have agreed to continue the Partnership for another 5 years and to commit at least another $150 million. The Partnership will be expanded to include at least one additional country and also add new foundations. Grant support for higher education in Nigeria will total at least $20 million over the next five years.