Creating a platform to nurture student entrepreneurs continues to be a priority to the management of the University. At the recent launch of the third phase of the African Universities (IAU) project, Prof. Felix Asante, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research Innovation and Development noted the remarkable progress made amongst student innovators since the inception of the project.
He said, ‘through the Innovations for African Universities Programme, we have been able to build a community of innovators and entrepreneurs who are transforming the African education landscape.” Prof. Asante explained that, as part of efforts to foster collaboration between universities, industry, and government to drive innovation and create sustainable solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges, the new phase of the project has been extended to students in the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He expressed appreciation to all the sponsors and urged participants to remain committed to the cause by continuously leveraging the knowledge and resources gained from the programme to drive innovation, create new business models and promote research and development.
In a speech read on behalf of Dr. Keren Naa Abeka Arthur, Director, Design Thinking and Innovation Hub, UCC, she was hopeful the new partnership would facilitate unique entrepreneurship support systems, relevant to the Ghanaian society.
Ms. Sarah Ranchev-Hale, Head, Imperial Enterprise Lab at Imperial College, London, together with Mr. Ben Mumby-Croft, Director of Entrepreneurship, Imperial College, London, commended the project implementors for the collective commitment and dedication to the success of the student entrepreneurs and pledged their continuous support.
In addition, Mr. Kelechi Ofoegbu, Co-founder, Impact Hub Accra and Madam Akorfa Dawson, Higher Education Project Manager, British Council expressed excitement about the inclusion of other institutions in the third phase of the project, stating that it was a step in the right direction.
Earlier, a brief ceremony was organised to draw the curtain on Phase Two of the IAU project. Representatives of two participating student ventures, Fihankra Comtech LLC. and Salon Jet, shared their journey of growth and transformation, emphasising the tremendous assistance they have received from the project.
The Phase Two of the project ended in July 2022 and saw about twenty-eight teams, comprising almost 100 students, participating. Feathery Care, the unicorn which seeks to reduce chick mortality rate to close to zero during the brooding stage, emerged winners of the Student Enterprise Pitch Competition held on the ‘Demo Day’ to climax the Innovation for African Universities (IAU) Connecting Accra Project.
Present at the two-tied ceremonies were Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, former Provost, College of Humanities and Director, Centre for Teaching and Learning Innovation; Prof. Irene Susana Egyir, Dean, School of Agriculture; Prof. Justice Bawole, Dean, University of Ghana Business School; Prof. Josephine Dzahene-Quarshie, Ghanaian Director, Confucius Institute; Prof. Jimen Wang, Chinese Director, Confucius Institute; Mrs. Cynthia Adu, Deputy Registrar, ORID; Mrs. Mammie N. Hutchful Nortey, Senior Research Development Officer, Intellectual Property Services, ORID; Mr. Bright Kwaku Avuglah, Assistant Registrar, Institute of Applied Science and Technology.
