The Honourable Armand Zorn, Member of Parliament for Frankfurt City and a Member of the Committee of Finance and Digitalisation, Germany, and the Her Excellency Sivine Jansen, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy, have paid a courtesy call on Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, at the Council Chamber, KNUST on 22nd August 2022.
Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, while welcoming the delegation, emphasised that KNUST, as an academic institution, values its relationships with its partners and other stakeholders because it believes in constructive partnerships.
To further the collaboration, he mentioned that KNUST together with the German Embassy is establishing an international cultural centre to highlight German achievements and projects. The Centre will also facilitate the teaching of German and other academic and cultural exchanges.
Professor Owusu-Dabo also revealed that plans are far advanced to put up an Innovation Centre with the support of the Technical University of Munich. The Centre, he explained would nurture young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into viable, self-sustaining businesses and work alongside acquiring their degrees to reach their full potential. ‘KNUST wants to train people who, if not employed by the government, should be able to say I'm starting up something because of what I learned and the skills I have acquired.’
According to Honourable Armand Zorn, he took advantage of his official trip to Ghana to visit KNUST and have productive discussions about the country's macroeconomic situation. In that regard, he emphasised that the Government, in close collaboration with the academic community, could lay the groundwork for a better future not just for Ghana but also for the world.
He also acknowledged his appreciation for the beauty of the KNUST Campus. ‘Once I'm here in Ghana, I said, I can't miss the opportunity to visit one of the best universities in the world; and I must say the campus looks very beautiful,’ he lauded.
He also applauded KNUST's plan to establish an innovation and digitisation centre, saying he has confidence that it would lead to positive changes in people's lives.
Madam Sivine Jansen, the Deputy German Ambassador remarked on her enthusiasm for the broadness and depth of the German-funded projects at KNUST and disclosed the Embassy's desire to deepen the partnership. ‘There are incredibly strong ties between Germany and Ghana that find their roots in this very University. We are very keen on expanding the partnership for our mutual benefits,’ she said. She further elaborated on the programmes outlined to mark the German National Day in Ghana as a whole and KNUST in particular and solicited the support of Management.
Also present at the meeting were Ms. Irene Appiah a Council Member from the State of Hamburg in Germany, Dr. Ralph Nyadu Addo, Head of the Department of Publishing Studies; Dr. Daniel Norris Bekoe, University Relations Officer; Mrs. Margaret Dzisi, Deputy Registrar, Academic Affairs.