The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has received a $3million grant from the Danish government to enrich the university’s research enterprise under the second phase of the Building Stronger Universities Project (BSU II) in developing countries.
The initiative is aimed at developing the capacity of researchers, think thanks and policy makers to increase their economic, social and political development roles.
Institutions of higher learning have the responsibility to generate innovative and practical knowledge to prepare students adequately for the labour market and to contribute to the development of communities.
However, the quality of students graduating from several Ghanaian universities has been questioned in recent times as the high number of graduates has yet to translate into solving societal problems.
Interest groups are of the consensus that high quality and relevant research activities hold the solution to turn Ghana’s socio-economic and environmental challenges into opportunities for job creation and development.
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Frimpong Boateng, said “in the midst of poor public attitude towards the environment, climate change and its attendant threat, health and economic challenges, research remains one of the panaceas for turning these challenges around and making the world a better place”.
Addressing the BSU II conference in Kumasi, he commended the Danish government for supporting KNUST and other higher institutions in the country.
The conference was to foster knowledge creation and sharing in three thematic areas: Climate Smart Agriculture and Environmental Management, Entrepreneurship and Job Creation, and Health Delivery System.
Vice-Chancellor of KNUST Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso reiterated the need for centres of higher learning and research to strengthen quality research to help address societal problems.
As part of the project, Danish universities will partner some universities in Ghana to produce skilled and motivated graduates to contribute to community development.
Dean of KNUST Graduate Students and Chairman of the BSU project Professor Robert Clement Abaidoo says the project will create an enabling environment for high quality and relevant research.
The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol, pledged the continuous support of Danish universities and DANIDA for the project.
The BSU II project started in 2017 and ends in 2020.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana