GCTU And AMEU Sign MoU For Academic Collaboration
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, has said it is crucial to have partners within Africa with whom GCTU can share knowledge and experiences to build our countries.
The VC made the remark at an MoU signing ceremony between GCTU and the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), Liberia, on Monday, 22nd July 2024 at the VC’s Boardroom.
The signing marked a significant step towards enhancing academic cooperation between two institutions in the West African sub-region.
In his welcome address, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa emphasized the importance of this collaboration, highlighting its potential to significantly benefit both institutions. He stated, “This collaboration is a great opportunity for us, especially since it rejuvenates a relationship that began years ago but wasn’t completed.
I am pleased that after all these years, we have been able to meet again and finalize this process. This partnership forms part of the very important collaborations we have sought for a long time.”
Prof. Afoakwa further elaborated on the significance of partnerships within Africa, saying, “We are not just interested in collaborations with institutions in Europe and America. It is crucial to have partners within Africa with whom we can share knowledge and experiences to build our countries. As we have been mandated by law to be the institution of choice for ICT, we believe that this partnership will enable us to support the growth of our nations through digitization and digitalization.”
The President of AMEU, Rev. Alvin E. Attah, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “With this partnership, we believe that we will be able to utilize some of the expertise at GCTU to build our own capacity, while also serving as your gateway into Liberia. This collaboration will introduce GCTU to Liberia and strengthen our academic programmes, particularly in the areas of ICT and digital forensics.”
The collaboration will encompass various academic programs, including IT Information Systems, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Data Science and Analytics, and Digital Forensics. Both institutions are committed to tailoring and customizing programmes to meet the specific needs of their respective institutions and countries.
The VC received the delegation in his office before the signing ceremonyEarlier, the Liberian delegation led by the President, Rev. Attah, paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor Prof. Afoakwa, who had just returned from the UK after attending the graduation ceremony of Coventry University, one of GCTU’s international partners. Rev. Attah expressed his appreciation for the preparatory efforts by both teams and highlighted the significance of this collaboration for enhancing academic and cultural ties between Ghana and Liberia.
Rev. Attah commended GCTU’s team for their valuable contributions to the draft MOU, which outlines areas of partnership and collaboration. He emphasized the importance of this strategic alliance, not just for the institutions, but for the broader relationship between the two countries.
The signing ceremony, followed by technical engagements on the specific academic areas of collaboration, is set to pave the way for a robust implementation phase, with a commitment to long-term collaboration and mutual growth in various academic and technical fields.
The ceremony was graced by the presence of several officials from both universities. From AMEU, the delegation included the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Timothy Kie, the Head of the Department of Computer Science, Mr. Festus Edet and the Director of External Relations, Mr. Fidel S. Saydee. Representing GCTU were the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research, Prof. Ebenezer Malcalm, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Accounting, Banking and Finance, Dr. Gertrude Amoakohene, Head, Doctoral Education Unit, Dr. Esther Asiedu and Dr. Nusrat-Jahan Abubakar, Director of University Relations, along with other staff from the University Relations Directorate.
The ceremony concluded with both parties expressing optimism for the future and a commitment to working together to achieve their shared goals.
