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UNIOSUN Lecturer Bags Prestigious Harvard Global Health Fellowship
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The Acting Head of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Dr Olabanji Ahmed Surakat, has been admitted into the prestigious Takemi Fellowship in International Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, United States, for the 2026–2027 fellowship year.
The fellowship is one of Harvard University’s flagship international programmes, attracting accomplished scholars, researchers and public health professionals from across the world to advance research, leadership and policy on critical global health issues.
In a statement issued by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, Dr Surakat was described as an accomplished public health parasitologist and entomologist whose admission followed his remarkable contributions to implementation and operational research on neglected tropical diseases and malaria.
According to the statement, his research has contributed significantly to onchocerciasis elimination programmes in Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Ethiopia, with particular emphasis on community-based health interventions.
As a Takemi Fellow, Dr Surakat will participate in high-level seminars, receive mentorship from leading global health experts and collaborate with an international network of researchers on cutting-edge public health initiatives. The fellowship will be undertaken remotely, enabling him to continue his teaching, research and administrative responsibilities at UNIOSUN while engaging with one of the world’s foremost institutions of public health.
Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, described the feat as another milestone in the University’s growing record of international academic recognition.
He congratulated Dr Surakat on the achievement, noting that it reflects the quality of scholarship at UNIOSUN and the institution’s unwavering commitment to producing globally competitive academics whose research addresses pressing societal challenges.
“The latest recognition further reinforces UNIOSUN’s position as a centre of research excellence and international relevance. It also demonstrates that our academics are making meaningful contributions to knowledge production and policy development at the highest global level,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
Professor Adebooye expressed confidence that the fellowship would strengthen the University’s international collaborations, enrich its research ecosystem and create new opportunities for knowledge exchange and capacity building in public health and related disciplines.
He reaffirmed the University’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for teaching, research and innovation, adding that the Management would continue to support initiatives that enhance the institution’s global visibility and academic reputation.
The Vice-Chancellor wished Dr Surakat a rewarding and successful fellowship, expressing optimism that the experience, knowledge and international networks he would gain would further enrich scholarship at Osun State University and contribute meaningfully to global efforts at addressing public health challenges.
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