By Arthur P. Wesseh
MONROVIA, Aug. 21 (LINA) – University of Liberia (UL) President Dr. Layli Maparyan has unveiled an ambitious plan aimed at positioning the University of Liberia among Africa’s top 300 universities, highlighting major reforms in academic administration, faculty development, and infrastructure modernization.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information, regular press briefing on Thursday, August 20, 2026, Dr. Maparyan said the university transformation agenda is aligned with the Government of Liberia ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly its focus on education and human capacity building.
According to her, achieving a top-300 ranking in Africa is not merely about prestige, but meeting internationally recognized standards that measure the effectiveness, efficiency, excellence, and ethical performance of higher education institutions.
“Because the attainment of such a ranking forces us to tackle over 20 dimensions of what it takes to be a well-functioning, globally relevant university, it has proven to be not only a worthy goal but a useful one,” Dr. Maparyan stated.
The UL President identified graduation period as one of the critical indicators for achieving the university’s ranking goal.
She explained that global standards generally expect undergraduate students to complete their studies within four to six years. To address this benchmark, the university has implemented a regularized academic calendar designed to ensure uninterrupted academic progress.
Dr. Maparyan noted that since the adoption of the new academic calendar last year, the University of Liberia has successfully conducted three regular academic semesters and one vacation school session.
She described the initiative as a major step toward improving graduation rates and ensuring students complete their studies within internationally accepted timeframes.
Another key area of focus, according to Dr. Maparyan, is increasing the number of faculty members with terminal degrees.
She disclosed that approximately 19 percent of UL’s faculty currently hold PhDs or other terminal degrees, representing about 150 of the university’s roughly 800 full-time faculty members.
To improve that figure, the university has expanded opportunities for advanced studies through scholarships and study-leave programs.
Dr. Maparyan revealed that three faculty members have recently been sent to the University of Delhi in India on fully funded PhD scholarships, while three female faculty members are expected to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Botswana under scholarship arrangements.
Additionally, one female faculty member is currently pursuing a funded PhD program at Duke University in the United States, while more than 15 others are already on study leave pursuing doctoral degrees.
She emphasized that increasing female representation within the university’s professoriate remains a major priority of her administration.
“I mention women specifically because another goal of my administration is the pursuit of gender equality in the professoriate,” she said.
Dr. Maparyan also announced that the University of Liberia has strengthened its international academic partnerships.
She praised Liberia’s Ambassador to Senegal, Ali Silla, for facilitating a partnership with Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, one of the leading universities in Francophone Africa.
The partnership is expected to create additional opportunities for UL faculty members to pursue advanced academic degrees abroad.