Penn has long been committed to providing students and faculty with opportunities to engage with Africa. In 1942, the distinguished linguist Zellig Harris commented that Penn was "the only place in the country where serious teaching of African studies [was] available." In the 1980s, Penn entered into a comprehensive partnership with Nigeria’s Ibadan University, becoming one of the only American universities of the era to establish a student exchange program in Africa.  In 1983, Penn’s Wharton School brought together US and African academic, business, and government figures to discuss private sector development in Africa, the first known conference on this issue. Today, Penn offers 12 African languages and a broad selection of study and internship placements across the region, and Penn faculty are involved in research projects that span several disciplines. The numbers of Penn students studying in Africa and African students studying at Penn have steadily increased over the last several years, and these trends show no sign of slowing down.