The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi is set to benefit from a partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), a flagship catalytic finance entity of the United Nations.
The collaboration, funded by the European Union (EU), is part of a broader initiative to strengthen industry-academia links and enhance digital skills and career services across selected universities.
Mr Sangyoung Jung, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist at UNCDF, explained that the project, known as the EU-Ghana Pact for Skills: Support Tertiary Education for Sustainable Employability is aimed at improving industry coordination, digital competence, and career development services in higher education institutions.
“The project is a practical skills initiative funded by the EU,” Mr. Jung noted. “It began last year and seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry to ensure students are equipped with employable skills.”
Mrs Selina Doe Angmor, Director of KNUST’s Career Services Centre, emphasised that the Career Services had applied to be part of the initiative and are currently undergoing the selection process. “This project aims to enhance collaboration between academia and industry. It’s a major opportunity to upgrade digital and career services at universities,” the Director stated.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, reiterated the University’s readiness and commitment to the collaboration.
“As the leading science and technology institution in this country, we are committed to developing leaders not just for Ghana, but we are focused on developing international professional for Africa and the world,” she said. “You cannot go anywhere in the world without seeing a Technocrat solving problems.”
She also highlighted the University's deliberate efforts to bridge the gap between industry and academia.
“We are intentional about equipping our students with the right skill sets. We have established the KNUST Academic Liaison Office, headed by Professor Dadson Awunyo-Vitor, to ensure effective linkage between industry and academia.”
Professor Joseph Abeiku Ackora-Prah, Dean for the Faculty of Physical and Computational Sciences, expressed excitement about the opportunity in the project to equip students with real-world skills for today’s job market.
“KNUST is ready for the partnership. Our students in the Department of Computer Science are already doing significant work in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and we are eager to collaborate.”
