The Department of Computer Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched Technology Week 2025 (TWeek 2025), a platform for students to exhibit innovations developed during their academic journey and engage with industry leaders on collaborative solutions to societal challenges.
Romeo Bugyei, managing director of IT Consortium, shared personal and professional insights anchored on the theme, “From the Breadboard to the Boardroom: Connect, Innovate, Create.”
He underscored the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration, noting that technological breakthroughs often emerge when engineers work closely with professionals in business, design and other fields.
“Innovation begins when strong connections are made and not just in laboratories, but in conversations with people from different walks of life,” Bugyei said. “Ask the right questions, seek the knowledge you need, and build solutions that can endure.”
He added: “Ideas are great, prototypes are exciting, but the leap from breadboard to boardroom happens when you create something that can survive scale and sustain itself.” Bugyei challenged students to connect intentionally, innovate with purpose and create with courage.
“Your final-year project is not just an academic requirement. It could become a startup, a non-profit solution or an open-source tool,” he said.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson said she hoped Technology Week would evolve into a university-wide programme. “We are the premier university of science and technology, and no technology should happen without us involved,” she said. Marking International Youth Day, she described TWeek 2025 as timely and relevant.
Prof. Dickson emphasised that innovation must go hand-in-hand with industry collaboration. She said KNUST trains graduates not only for academic excellence but to meet industry demands and serve communities.
“Don’t let that startup or prototype die. Find the right channel to bring your innovations to life for the benefit of society,” she said.
She reminded students that the future rests in their hands. “You are brilliant. You have the transformation this country, this continent and the world needs,” she said. “University education gives you a key. Use it to open the right doors and don’t let anyone change your mind about who you are or what you can achieve.”
She urged students to build networks, seek mentorship and embrace the challenge of turning ideas into viable solutions.
Provost of the College of Engineering, Prof. Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, stressed the urgency of leveraging innovation to address national and global challenges. He called for stronger collaboration between academia, industry and government to transform student ideas into viable startups.
“Yesterday’s solutions won’t solve tomorrow’s problems. The time for action is now,” he said. “We must ensure that the incredible projects conceived in our lecture halls and laboratories don’t just remain ideas. They must grow into startups that tackle real-world challenges, create meaningful jobs, spur economic development and provide sustainable livelihoods.”
Nyarko encouraged students to take full advantage of TWeek 2025 to network, ask critical questions and engage with mentors and industry leaders. “You have the potential to be the game changers Ghana and the world need,” he said. “So, connect deeply, innovate boldly and create solutions that will propel Ghana forward.”
Head of Department Prof. Emmanuel Kofi Akowuah said the initiative aligns departmental activities with the university’s research, entrepreneurship and industry engagement agenda. He said TWeek offers students a unique opportunity to translate prototypes into viable business solutions.
“This year, we are giving students a platform to showcase innovations developed over the last four years to our industrial partners, enabling them to meet real-world expectations,” he said. He cited a success story from last year’s event, where a student team partnered with an industry player to develop a competitive product with global potential.
Prof. Akowuah said TWeek 2025 will feature exhibitions, panel discussions and networking sessions with industry stakeholders over three days, offering participants opportunities to engage, collaborate and co-create solutions for the future.
A panel discussion explored how artificial intelligence, guided by the principles of design thinking, can be applied to real-world challenges.
