The MacArthur Foundation provides support for efforts to strengthen higher education in Russia and Nigeria, two of the Foundation's focus countries. The Foundation believes that strong universities and intellectual freedom are indispensable preconditions for healthy democratic societies.

Nigerian Universities
One of the goals of the MacArthur Foundation in Nigeria is to help improve the country's higher education system.  This pursuit is based upon the belief that strong universities and intellectual freedom are essential to developing and sustaining healthy democratic societies.

The MacArthur Foundation is currently working with four of Nigeria's leading universities - the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, and the University of Port Harcourt - in an effort to strengthen them and bolster reforms that they have initiated.

MacArthur's efforts on behalf of universities in Nigeria are carried out in conjunction with the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, launched in April 2000 by the Carnegie Corporation and the Ford, Rockefeller, and MacArthur Foundations.  The initiative is designed to support efforts, many already underway, by leading African institutions to expand and improve higher education.

Deadlines for the submission of Letters of Inquiry related to grantmaking to strengthen universities in Nigeria are listed below.  Following a multi-stage review process, selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals for grants to be considered by the Foundation's Board of Directors.

Russia Universities and Scholarly Infrastructure

Purpose
The Foundation believes that strong universities and intellectual freedom are indispensable preconditions for healthy democratic societies. The Foundation is committed to sustaining and advancing new generations of scholars and researchers whose efforts will contribute to resolving the social, environmental, economic, human rights, and security problems facing Russia.

Strategies
Through grants to universities and to help build other scholarly capacity, the Foundation supports:

• New independent universities and other institutions of higher education
  
• Centers of excellence in the sciences and social sciences at state universities
  
• Independent public policy institutes
  
• Journals and networking

Funding
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for projects on these topics. The Foundation identifies and invites proposals from institutions and organizations engaged in building research and training capacity.

Questions about this grantmaking area can be e-mailed to Moscow at the MacArthur Foundation.