University of Ghana and World Bank Host Inaugural Graduate Student Research Colloquium

The Department of Economics at the University of Ghana, in collaboration with the World Bank, hosted the inaugural World Bank–University of Ghana Graduate Student Research Colloquium on 26 May 2026 at the World Bank Accra Office.

The colloquium provided a platform for graduate students to present advanced thesis research and working papers on critical development challenges in Ghana and across Africa. It was designed to strengthen the link between academic research and development policy by exposing student work to high-level feedback from senior economists, researchers, and policy experts.

The event was facilitated by Professor Nkechi Owoo of the University of Ghana and Raymond Muhula of the World Bank. It opened with remarks from World Bank and University of Ghana representatives, including Raymond Muhula, Robert Taliercio O’Brien, Professor Edward Nketiah-Amponsah, Professor Ama Fenny, and Gero Carletto of the World Bank’s Institute for Economic Development.

Nine graduate students from the Department of Economics and ISSER presented research papers on a wide range of development topics, including fiscal decentralisation, intra-regional trade and poverty, environmental quality of life, health expenditure and governance, digital public health insurance, oil prices and public debt dynamics, sustainable pension investments, contract farming, and export diversification.

Each presentation was followed by formal discussant comments from World Bank and University of Ghana researchers and an open question-and-answer session. The feedback provided to students was substantive and constructive, with discussants offering insights on methodology, policy relevance, and the publication potential of the papers.

The colloquium also included a career session delivered by the World Bank Human Resources Department in Washington, DC. The session offered students practical guidance on career pathways, recruitment processes, and professional opportunities within the World Bank and other international development institutions.

The event generated several important outcomes. It strengthened the quality and policy relevance of student research, created opportunities for mentorship and research networking, and deepened collaboration between the University of Ghana and the World Bank. It also showcased the strength of graduate research within the Department of Economics and ISSER.

The Department of Economics is proud to have contributed to this important initiative and looks forward to continued collaboration with the World Bank in supporting graduate training, policy-oriented research, and professional development.