Prof. Martha Chadyiwa of Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), South Africa, has visited GCTU to explore potential avenues for academic, professional, and research collaboration on Friday, 20th June 2025.
This exploratory visit aimed to set the stage for joint initiatives focused on health innovation and technology.
During her time at GCTU, Prof. Chadyiwa paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, where she shared her university’s vision of forming strategic partnerships throughout Africa. She stressed the significance of collaboration driven by innovation, especially in the fields of health and ICT research, and expressed SMU’s eagerness to kick off a joint grant proposal with GCTU.
Prof. Chadyiwa also highlighted SMU’s strategic goal of creating a South African Health Innovation Presidential Doctoral Fellowship Training Hub, which aims to support interdisciplinary doctoral research in health and innovation. She mentioned that SMU is in the process of preparing a grant proposal for this initiative and has identified GCTU as a vital strategic partner. “We’re looking to build strong partnerships across Africa, and GCTU was our top choice due to your clear commitment to innovation and ICT,” Prof. Chadyiwa remarked. “This collaboration will boost research capacity, facilitate joint appointments, support postdoctoral training and lead to joint publications and innovation-driven projects.”
She elaborated that the proposed hub, which will be funded through South Africa’s Presidential Fellowship, will create opportunities for student and staff exchanges, collaborative research and the joint development of technology-driven health solutions, including mobile applications and AI-based diagnostic tools.
Prof. Afoakwa welcomed the proposal with enthusiasm, highlighting GCTU’s commitment to building sustainable partnerships that align with its research and innovation goals. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with you. This is a fantastic chance to blend our ICT expertise with your strengths in health sciences,” he remarked. “The answer is a resounding yes. We’re fully on board with this collaboration and will quickly provide the necessary letter of interest to join the grant application.”
The Vice-Chancellor also expressed his excitement about the potential to co-establish innovation centres, expand PhD and postdoctoral programs, and develop impactful tech solutions for the African health sector.
Earlier, Prof. Chadyiwa had a fruitful session with the leadership of the Faculty of Computing and Information Systems (FoCIS), including the Dean and Heads of Department. They discussed specific areas for joint research, innovation, and capacity development, with GCTU reaffirming its willingness to share resources and expertise to bring these initiatives to life.
Faculty representatives showed a strong interest in becoming research associates and co-develop health-tech innovations that could be scaled across Africa.
The Dean of FoCIS, Dr. William Leslie Brown-Acquaye described the engagement as “a forward-looking step that highlights GCTU’s rising status as a hub for ICT-driven innovation in Africa.” He noted that the immediate focus will be on preparing a letter of interest to formalize GCTU’s involvement in SMU’s grant proposal.
The visit wrapped up with a solid mutual commitment to establishing a long-term institutional relationship. Both universities agreed that this partnership will not only benefit their staff and students but will also make a significant contribution to Africa’s knowledge economy through innovation, research excellence and capacity-building.
