The McGill University in Canada is to partner with the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, (UESD) to tap into areas that are of mutual benefit to both institutions such as research.
This came up at a meeting between a Canadian-based Ghanaian Professor of the McGill University, Prof. Benjamin Kofi Simpson, and some members of the UESD, held at its Multipurpose Complex Auditorium at Somanya in the Eastern Region.
Prof. Simpson, a Biochemist and researcher of more than three decades was a guest at the three-day maiden International Conference of the UESD, held in July, 2021 at Akosombo in the Eastern Region.
His meeting with the UESD community which included the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson and the Registrar, Mrs. Mary Abena Agyepong and Senior Members of the University, was to share ideas and explore opportunities that both institutions could tap into.
Prof. Simpson expressed interest in the University’s vision of conserving natural resources, using approaches that have a lesser impact on the environment which he said sits well with him.
He said, he saw this period as ‘payback time’ for what he benefited from Ghana by also helping to undertake development projects back home.
He said for instance, he has partnered with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST and the Koforidua Technical University, KTU, to develop industry specific programmes.
Prof Simpson proposed collaborations between the two Universities in the areas of student and staff exchange visits and participation in conferences and workshops. The engagements could also be in Curriculum preparation, preparation of course outlines, lecture manuals and laboratory setups as well as joint research publications and joint research grant applications.
Prof. Simpson introduced the MasterCard foundation Initiative to the participants and how the UESD could benefit from it.
He explained that the MasterCard Foundation Initiative assists tertiary institutions to train students to be well equipped to fit better into jobs and businesses. It helps to establish linkages between students and industry needs, to establishes networks, provides internship opportunities during holidays for students, fosters creativity in students and creates platforms for graduates to create their own opportunities.
He said it is envisaged that by the year 2030, it would have trained a good number of students to be gainfully employed. The UESD will soon be invited to provide input into some of the projects it can benefit from.
Prof. Simpson declared, ‘our problem is not lack of basic training, but rather lack of hands-on practical training’. He stressed the need to create the linkages between students and corporate institutions to tailor their training to meet the demands of the business community to flow with the changing trends.
The chairman for the meeting, Vice-Chancellor of the UESD, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson, underscored the importance of UESD’s collaborations with industry. He said, the University is exploring partnerships and linkages with industry to create avenues for its students in alternative areas for internship, projects and areas that will be of benefit to the students and the University as a whole.
The Vice-Chancellor thanked Prof. Simpson for his brilliant presentation and observed that Prof. Simpson’s presentation puts a charge on the Management of the UESD into making it a world-class University.