The Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) was officially admitted as a new member of the League of Tropical Universities (LTU) during the LTU 2025 Summit held at Hainan University in Haikou, China from April 13-16, 2025. The League of Tropical Universities, established in 2023, connects universities and research institutions through voluntary, open, equal and innovative multicultural collaboration to advance higher education and address shared sustainable development challenges in tropical regions. The Vice-Chancellor of SDD-UBIDS, Prof. Emmanuel K. Derbile, and the Director of International Collaborations, Prof. Millicent A. Akaateba, were present at the inauguration ceremony.
Prof. Emmanuel K. Derbile, in sharing his perspectives on the LTU, emphasised the substantial opportunities that the LTU offers for international partnerships in tropical regions. He also discussed the potential for developing collaborative and practical solutions to local and global issues by harnessing these regions’ technological and industrial revolutions. For staff and students, SDD-UBIDS’ membership in the LTU not only enhances its global visibility but also creates opportunities for talent cultivation, collaborative scientific research, and social services while promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges with member universities. The League of Tropical Universities has a total membership of 101 universities and research institutes from 41 countries as of April 2025.
During the summit, the SDD-UBIDS team attended a high-profile meeting with the Vice President of Hainan University, Prof Yue Wen, and the deans of the School of International Education, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry and School of International Tourism and Public Administration. The discussions centred on shared interests for cooperation between the two universities, including collaborative research, joint curriculum development, dual degree programmes, and the exchange of staff and students.