By: Mohamed J. Bangura
Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, has highlighted the country’s growing partnership with Harvard University, citing expanding collaboration in research, education, innovation and public health.
Dr. Sengeh made the disclosure during a high-level engagement involving more than a dozen senior Harvard faculty members and Sierra Leonean Cabinet ministers to explore opportunities for knowledge exchange, research, innovation and projects with national impact.
The session was co-chaired by Zoe Marks, Oppenheimer Faculty Director of Harvard’s University-wide Center for African Studies and Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.
During the engagement, Harvard faculty members highlighted ongoing collaborations with Sierra Leone in areas including maternal health, education, taxation, cervical cancer prevention, public health research and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Sengeh cited the work of Seed Global as an example of how international partnerships are contributing to improvements in Sierra Leone’s health sector. He said the organization’s interventions have contributed to reported reductions in maternal mortality in Bo and Makeni.
He said such partnerships provide an opportunity for Sierra Leone to connect its national development priorities with international expertise, research and innovation.
Education was also a key area of discussion, with participants focusing on efforts to improve learning outcomes in Sierra Leone.
Prof. Fernando Reimers and Rob Jenkins shared perspectives on education, while Prof. Eliana La Ferrara encouraged more qualified Sierra Leoneans to apply for Harvard’s Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA-ID) programme.
The discussions also explored emerging opportunities in technology and scientific research, including the development of artificial intelligence language models for African languages.
Participants further discussed the sequencing of the yellow fever virus genome and opportunities to strengthen research partnerships between Sierra Leonean institutions and international academic and scientific institutions.
Dr. Sengeh said Sierra Leone continues to position itself as an incubator for knowledge, research and innovation through partnerships with leading global institutions.
He identified Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as important partners in strengthening collaboration between Sierra Leone and world-class academic and research institutions.
According to Dr. Sengeh, the continued engagement creates opportunities for Sierra Leonean researchers, students and policymakers to access global expertise while contributing local knowledge to international research.
He attributed the sustained international academic engagement with Sierra Leone to the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio and the Government’s continued engagement with global institutions.
Dr. Sengeh said the growing relationship with Harvard demonstrates the importance of international partnerships in advancing Sierra Leone’s development priorities, particularly in health, education, science, technology and public policy.
The engagement comes as Sierra Leone continues to pursue stronger international partnerships aimed at expanding research capacity, promoting innovation and using evidence and knowledge to support national development.
The collaboration with Harvard and other leading institutions is expected to create further opportunities for knowledge exchange, research and the development of solutions tailored to Sierra Leone’s national needs.