Cooperation Agreement between Ionian University, University of Zambia and Zambia Orthodox Church

(Ionian University) On Monday, May 26, the Dean of the Ionian University, Professor Andreas Floros, welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Ioannis of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia and Mozambique, along with professors from the University of Zambia (UNZA) at the Ionian Academy.

At the meeting, representatives of the three institutions signed a five-year inter-university cooperation agreement, aimed at the development and deepening of their relations, as well as the promotion of exchanges and educational and research activities. This will be implemented through a "Work Programme" to be prepared before each academic year, with the Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Zambia supporting cultural activities and the teaching of the Greek language.

Among other things, the agreement provides for the organisation of joint undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree programmes, as well as the implementation of joint research projects.

Prior to the signing, professors from the University of Zambia spent five days at the Ionian University as part of the Erasmus+ International Mobility Programme. Also present was the Erasmus+ Institutional Coordinator, Professor Ioannis Karras, who had visited the University of Zambia two years ago to support the teaching of the Greek language.

The University of Zambia was represented by Professors Naomi Njobvu and Mweemba Jila, as well as Cheela Chilala, Professor in the Department of Literature and Language at UNZA. During their stay in Corfu, they conducted classes and gave a public lecture at the Ionian University’s Central Library.

As part of the signing of the inter-university agreement, the Dean of the Ionian University, Professor Andreas Floros, stated that a constructive collaboration has developed over the past year, aimed at promoting Greek culture and the Greek language in Zambia—an endeavour that could be implemented through an undergraduate degree programme. “We hope this will be the first step in a highly promising academic partnership, aiming to bring the two countries closer together on many levels, through the exchange of cultural particularities and the cultivation of a broader relationship for mutual benefit,” he stated.

His Eminence Archbishop Ioannis of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia and Mozambique referred to the long-standing efforts by the Metropolis and the Greek Consulate in Zambia to establish a Greek language learning programme and promote Greek culture in the country, especially in light of the designation of February 9—the date of the death of our national poet Dionysios Solomos—as World Greek Language Day by UNESCO. “Corfu possesses cultural education and heritage that predate the foundation of the modern Greek state, with a strong potential channeled through the Ionian University. With its support, we hope to transmit our traditions and customs across the globe, turning them into a universal legacy,” said Archbishop Ioannis, expressing pride in his own Ionian heritage, as he hails from Zakynthos.

Finally, Professor Cheela Chilala of the University of Zambia’s Department of Literature and Language expressed his satisfaction with the fruition of efforts to bring the two higher education institutions closer—a process that began two years ago with the crucial contribution of Professor Ioannis Karras of the Ionian University. He noted that, alongside the teaching of foreign languages at the University of Zambia (such as Chinese, Japanese, Swahili and French), Greek language and culture are now being added.

Photos: Ionian University