The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi will host the 5th International Conference of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH) in 2026, university officials confirmed.

The announcement was made during a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, by a delegation from CARLIGH led by its Chairperson, Dr. Mac-Anthony Cobblah.

In his remarks, Dr. Cobblah commended KNUST for its forward-looking investment in library infrastructure.

“I love academics who support libraries,” he said. “Learning hasn’t always received the attention it deserves in our universities. Often, the emphasis is on teaching, while the tools, spaces, and resources that libraries provide are overlooked. The KNUST Library Mall is a novel and beautiful space, an initiative posterity will remember you for.”

Dr. Cobblah noted CARLIGH’s role in providing affordable access to essential electronic resources through its extensive membership, which includes public and private universities, technical universities, colleges, and research institutions nationwide.

He described the biennial international conference as a key capacity-building event, enabling stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving knowledge access and advancing the consortium’s mission.

“We are here to formally notify the university and request permission to use the KNUST brand in our publicity,” he added. “We also seek access to university facilities and administrative support to ensure a successful event.”

The upcoming conference is scheduled for May 4 to 8, 2026, on KNUST’s campus. It will be held under the theme: “The Open Movement in Times of Urgency and Rapid Change.”

Organisers expect to attract local and international participants from higher education, research, and library management sectors to explore openness and resilience in a rapidly evolving world.

Welcoming the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Mrs) Rita Akosua Dickson expressed gratitude for KNUST’s selection as the host institution.

“We are delighted that CARLIGH has chosen KNUST to host this international gathering. It is an honour, and we do not take it lightly,” she said. “KNUST is, and will always remain, home to CARLIGH. Libraries are not a luxury in academia, they are the backbone of teaching, learning, and research.”

She emphasised the central role of libraries in promoting academic excellence, adding that institutional progress hinges on access to robust library tools and resources.

She highlighted KNUST’s continued investment in innovative library services, including the adoption of artificial intelligence in library management systems.

“You are central to what we do in tertiary education,” she told the CARLIGH team. “Ensure you keep innovating, especially with emerging technologies like AI.”

Prof. Dickson also pointed to the newly commissioned Library Mall, a digital learning hub that currently supports computer-based assessments and is expected to accommodate at least 500 laptops for student use.

“Though still a work in progress, the facility represents our commitment to enhancing learning infrastructure,” she said.

She assured the delegation of KNUST’s full support for the upcoming event.

“Whatever support you need from KNUST to make this conference a success, we are ready and willing to provide it,” she said. “Your consortium is the fulcrum of university advancement. If we get it right with our libraries, we get it right across the board.”