Monrovia — In a bid to transform the University of Liberia (UL) into one of Africa's leading higher institutions, UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan has unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic plan aimed at improving academics, infrastructure, administration, and student success -- with a bold goal of propelling the University into Africa's top 300 universities by 2030.
The proposed plan, titled "A Victory of Imagination - Building the UL of Tomorrow Today," was presented during two town hall meetings held on Monday at the Fendall Campus and Tuesday at the Capitol Hill Campus. The sessions brought together faculty, staff, students, and administrators who shared feedback and recommendations on the proposed roadmap.
"Currently, UL is ranked 5,000 in the world and 502 in Africa, making it one of the lowest-ranked universities on the continent. We must accelerate efforts to make it better," Dr. Maparyan told the gathering.
She emphasized that improving the University's ranking would not only be a matter of prestige but would bring tangible benefits that strengthen UL's academic reputation, attract partnerships, and improve the overall learning environment.
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"I want us to improve the ranking not just so we can say we did it, but because we'll be a substantially better institution if we meet the criteria," Dr. Maparyan said, outlining the benchmarks for ranking advancement -- including increased faculty research output, higher graduation rates, PhD-level teaching staff, adequate financial resources per student, and a lower student-to-faculty ratio.
Infrastructure as a Foundation
Dr. Maparyan highlighted infrastructure as a critical starting point in achieving the plan's vision.
"The first set of goals is infrastructure because your house has to be standing before you can do anything in it," she said. "A research institution must have 24/7 electricity. Unstable power deeply hinders the educational process."
Her plan proposes a major investment in solar energy to ensure reliable electricity across all campuses.
"We are a tropical country with plenty of sun, so why not have solar power on all of our campuses? That is my number one strategic goal, and I'm going to get it started," she pledged.
In addition to constant electricity, the plan's infrastructure priorities include addressing water and sanitation challenges, expanding campus-wide internet access, and fully digitizing the University's academic and administrative systems.
Five Key Strategic Pillars
The draft plan is built around five core pillars: Flagship Status - Strengthening UL's reputation as Liberia's premier institution of higher learning.
Administration - Streamlining internal operations and enhancing customer service for all stakeholders.
Student Success - Expanding support systems and academic planning tools, especially for first-year students.
Academics - Increasing the number of faculty with terminal degrees and promoting research-based teaching.
Infrastructure - Ensuring modern, sustainable facilities and reliable utilities across campuses.
Under administrative goals, Dr. Maparyan said UL will work to enhance campus security, improve the customer experience, and increase financial resources through government funding, donor partnerships, and revenue-generating initiatives.
Funding and Partnerships
While commending the Government of Liberia for its recent budgetary increase for the University, Dr. Maparyan stressed that additional funding sources are crucial to sustain long-term growth.
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"Donors and others will be willing to support us once we do the right things," she said, citing plans for alumni fundraising, donor outreach, and research-based grant acquisition.
Stakeholder Input
Participants -- including academic deans, department chairs, students, and education stakeholders -- welcomed the plan and offered diverse suggestions. Among the priorities highlighted were infrastructure development, academic enhancement, improved administrative efficiency, and strengthened student support services.
Dr. Maparyan noted that the plan is still in its draft stage and will require formal approval by the UL Board of Trustees. She anticipates implementation to begin in January 2026, pending board endorsement by the end of 2025.
"This is our chance to reimagine the University of Liberia -- to make it a model of excellence, innovation, and integrity in higher education," Dr. Maparyan concluded.
