Dr Olabanji Surakat, Acting Head of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), has been selected for Harvard University’s 2026/2027 Takemi Fellowship in International Health.
The fellowship will be undertaken remotely, allowing him to continue his teaching, research and administrative responsibilities at UNIOSUN while participating in the prestigious global health programme.
The announcement is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Ademola Adesoji, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Takemi Fellowship is one of Harvard University’s flagship international programmes, bringing together distinguished scholars, researchers and public health professionals to advance research, leadership and policy on global health challenges.
Adesoji said Surakat, a public health parasitologist and entomologist, was selected in recognition of his outstanding contributions to implementation and operational research on neglected tropical diseases and malaria.
According to him, the lecturer’s research has contributed significantly to onchocerciasis elimination programmes in Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Ethiopia, with a focus on community-based health interventions.
He added that, as a Takemi Fellow, Surakat would 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 spokesperson said the fellowship’s remote format would enable the academic to continue his teaching, research and administrative duties at UNIOSUN while benefiting from Harvard’s global academic network.
Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Odunayo Adebooye, described the fellowship as another milestone in the institution’s growing record of international academic recognition.
Adebooye said the achievement reflected the quality of scholarship at UNIOSUN and the university’s commitment to producing globally competitive academics whose research addresses pressing societal challenges.
He expressed confidence that the fellowship would strengthen the university’s international collaborations, enrich its research ecosystem and create new opportunities for knowledge exchange, capacity building and innovation in public health and related disciplines.
The vice-chancellor reaffirmed the university’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for teaching, research and innovation.
Adebooye wished Surakat a rewarding and successful fellowship.
He added that the university would continue to encourage its academics to pursue internationally recognised opportunities that enhance research excellence, strengthen institutional partnerships and contribute to addressing global and national development priorities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Takemi Fellowship in International Health is a highly competitive programme at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
It supports mid-career professionals committed to advancing health policy, research and leadership across the world. (NAN)
