The Building Resilient Communities through Integrating Climate Adaptation with the SDGs in University Education and Research (BRIDGE) project, jointly implemented by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and RWTH Aachen University, has been recognised as a model initiative at the annual conference of German UNESCO Chairs in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Presented by Project Manager Mr. Florian Balmes, the project was cited as a successful Ghana–Germany partnership advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals through education, research, and digital innovation.

Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with €217,332.64, the three-year project (January 2023–March 2026) is coordinated at KNUST by Professor Divine Ahadzie of the Centre for Settlements Studies (CSS).

BRIDGE focuses on five key areas: climate risk assessment, curriculum development, capacity building, digital transformation, and project management to strengthen climate research, teaching, and community resilience in Ghana.

So far, 16 academic staff and 10 PhD students from KNUST have received training in water resources management and open educational resources (OER) at RWTH Aachen. Additionally, seven PhD students have completed a three-month exchange in Germany, gaining international research exposure.

With DAAD support, an OER Laboratory has been established at KNUST to produce and deliver Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), expanding access to quality learning materials.