The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) has appointed Professor Ahmed Agyapong, a distinguished strategic management scholar, entrepreneur and academic leader, as Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS) for a three-year term from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2029.
The appointment was approved by the University Council at its 293rd Regular Meeting held on June 18, 2026.
Professor Agyapong assumes the position after serving as Dean of the KNUST School of Business since November 2023, a role in which he championed academic innovation, industry partnerships, research visibility and institutional growth.
Prior to becoming Dean, he served as Head of the Department of Marketing and Corporate Strategy from 2022 to 2023 and previously held the same position from 2013 to 2016. He has also served as Deputy Director of the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL), Acting Dean and Vice-Dean of the KNUST School of Business.
A product of the University of Ghana, the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom and KNUST, Professor Agyapong holds a PhD in Strategic Management from KNUST, an MBA and a Master's degree in Social Work and Welfare Studies from the University of Central Lancashire, and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology with Political Science from the University of Ghana. He is also a holder of the Professional Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), United Kingdom.
Professor Agyapong joined the KNUST School of Business as a part-time lecturer in 2008 and steadily rose through the academic ranks to become Professor in August 2023.
Over the years, he has established himself as one of Ghana's leading scholars in strategic management, entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainability and small business development. His research has contributed significantly to understanding the growth and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), family businesses, supply chain systems and organisational performance in emerging economies.
His scholarly contributions have appeared in leading international journals, including the Journal of Cleaner Production, International Business Review, Journal of African Business, Africa Journal of Management, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management and the Journal of Strategy and Management.
His work has examined themes such as environmental sustainability, innovation capability, digital transformation, organisational learning, supply chain resilience, corporate governance and entrepreneurial development.
Beyond teaching and research, Professor Agyapong has distinguished himself through grant acquisition, consultancy and institutional development. He played a leading role in the marketing and expansion of KNUST's distance education programmes across Ghana, contributing to significant growth in student enrolment and revenue generation. He also led a nationwide industry needs and skills gap assessment that informed the development of market-driven academic programmes under the Institute of Distance Learning.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Agyapong was among the key academic leaders who guided KNUST's transition from face-to-face instruction to online learning. He led the development of online teaching manuals and coordinated training programmes that equipped lecturers with the skills required for virtual instruction, helping the University maintain academic continuity during one of the most disruptive periods in higher education.
His involvement in research and innovation extends to several major international projects. He served as Co-Principal Investigator for the Affordable Sustainability Logistics Network in Ghana (ASONG) Project, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and Research Coordinator for the Creating Resilient Logistics and Supply Chain Systems through Digital Solutions Project. He was also part of the team behind a World Bank-supported proposal to establish a business incubator aimed at transforming innovative student ideas into viable enterprises.
In recognition of his academic leadership and international engagement, Professor Agyapong received the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Award in 2022, which facilitated international collaboration in teaching, research and mentorship at the KNUST School of Business.
