As part of activities to mark its 40th-anniversary celebration of the Publishing Studies programme, the Department of Publishing Studies of the College of Art and Built Environment (CABE) held a colloquium on the anniversary theme: ‘‘Forty Years of Publishing Education in Ghana: Reflections and the Way Forward.” The event was held on Wednesday, 16th October 2024 at the Amonoo-Neizer, IDL conference centre.

In her opening remarks, the Head of the Department, Dr. (Mrs.) Lucy A. Ry-Kottoh, provided a brief history of the department's journey since its inception in October 1984, starting with just nine students. She added that over the years, the department has grown significantly, introducing programs such as the postgraduate diploma in 2003, the Master of Arts (MA) in Publishing in 2006, and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Publishing in 2019. She noted that this colloquium would allow for discussion and interactions centred around the theme. Dr. Ry-Kottoh stated that the department has strived to train and educate its students to become entrepreneurial leaders in the publishing industry. To this end, she expressed the department's openness to feedback from alumni and stakeholders, stating that their input would be considered during the departmental retreat to review the curriculum and explore new directions for the program.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor David Asamoah, acknowledged the department’s transformative role in shaping the publishing industry over the past four decades. He commended its adaptability to technological changes, including the rise of digital publishing and the introduction of new courses that reflect the evolving demands of the market. He called for greater integration of digital tools, artificial intelligence (AI), and interactive technologies like gamification into the curriculum to better prepare students for the future of publishing. Additionally, Professor Asamoah urged the department to forge stronger partnerships with industry stakeholders to offer students more practical experience.
Key industry figures and alumni, including Ms. Harriet Adelaide Tagoe, Managing Director of Afram Production Ghana Ltd, Mr. Coby Asmah, CEO of Type Company Ltd and Mr. Elliot Agyare, CEO of Smartline Publishers, shared their insights on the colloquium’s theme.

Ms. Harriet Adelaide Tagoe emphasised the vital role of electronic and digital publishing tools and discussed the ethical and legal challenges that lie ahead of the industry. Ms. Tagoe stressed the need to focus on audiobooks and improve collaboration between academia and the industry to tackle real-world issues. Furthermore, she urged for the inclusion of eBook design in the publishing industry to stay relevant and said that significant efforts are necessary to advance the department, pointing out that lack of industry data is a barrier to progress, hence the need to fill the knowledge gap. She stressed the importance of making the current course structure more inclusive.

Mr. Elliot Agyare, addressed the current circumstances faced by the publishing industry, highlighting the essential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the necessity of incorporating it into our educational framework within the department. He emphasised the importance of enhancing our understanding of publishing education and the training of publishing professionals in the age of AI. "Publishing can do better than it is today, we can take advantage of the emerging technology tools and integrate these digital tools into the curriculum," he remarked. Mr. Agyare also shared his significant experiences with ChatGPT and how engaging with it has rejuvenated him. ‘‘AI tools like ChatGPT, and Gemini can now do the work of Publishers. To stay relevant as a publisher in the era of AI, there is the need to learn skills like prompt engineering to utilise AI judiciously to advance the industry’’, he said.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Type Company Ltd, Mr. Coby Asmah stated the importance of being well-prepared to positively influence the next generation. He encouraged lecturers to participate in internships and attachments to enhance their skills and better equip students with the knowledge they need for the future. ‘‘You must know more than you need so that you will be needed more than you know’’, he advised.
In a panel discussion, the speakers advocated for the need to leverage emerging technological tools such as AI, foster collaboration between academia and industry to create solutions and encourage students to acquire additional skills and knowledge to become relevant in the technology-evolving publishing industry.