University of Ghana, Loughborough University Deepen Strategic Research and Innovation Partnership
The University of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening international research collaboration following a high-level courtesy visit by a delegation from Loughborough University to deepen institutional partnerships in research, innovation and global engagement.
The delegation, led by the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Impact and Internationalisation, Professor Ksenia Chmutina, met with senior management of the University to discuss expanding strategic partnerships and deepen ongoing collaborations across multiple research areas.
Welcoming the delegation, Pro Vice-Chancellor with responsibility of Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Felix Ankomah Asante, underscored the University of Ghana’s commitment to impactful international partnerships that support research excellence, innovation and institutional growth. He noted that the University, with a student population of about 70,000, continues to position itself as a leading research-intensive university in Africa.
Professor Asante highlighted the University’s seven research priority areas: infectious and non-communicable diseases, food production and processing, climate change adaptation, development policy and poverty monitoring, migration and sociocultural change, creative arts and communication, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including artificial intelligence and data science. He emphasised that partnerships such as these align closely with the institution’s broader vision to advance sustainable development through collaborative research and innovation.
Professor Chmutina described the visit as part of Loughborough University’s renewed internationalisation strategy aimed at building stronger institutional relationships with selected strategic partners worldwide. She stated that the University of Ghana remains one of Loughborough University’s most valued partners in Africa due to years of successful collaboration in public health, energy research, climate studies, law and computer science.
She highlighted several ongoing joint projects between academics from both institutions, including research in public health, energy efficiency in schools, modern energy cooking systems and emerging collaborations in computer science and legal studies.
The Provost of the College of Education, Professor Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, reflected on existing collaborative work in energy and healthcare ventilation systems. He revealed that a collaborative research between UG and Loughborough researchers is currently examining carbon dioxide retention in sealed hospital wards and exploring innovative building designs to improve ventilation systems in healthcare facilities across Ghana.
Director of the Institutional Advancement Directorate, Professor Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah stressed the growing importance of partnerships in supporting research funding, infrastructure development and innovation in public universities.
He noted that while government funding largely covers salaries, institutions increasingly depend on external collaborations and philanthropy to finance research and institutional advancement initiatives. He also expressed interest in learning from Loughborough University’s approaches to industry engagement, partnership development and research commercialisation.
In another key development, Professor of Law and Economics at Loughborough University, Professor Kojo Koram, introduced a new Ghana-focused research project examining legal reforms surrounding industrial and medicinal cannabis production. The project seeks to explore environmentally sustainable and economically inclusive regulatory frameworks within emerging agricultural sectors.
Registrar, Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, expressed appreciation to the visiting delegation and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that align with its strategic priorities.
