Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo with Claudia Frittelli, Program Officer, Higher Education and Research in Africa
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has embarked on a working visiting to Carnegie Corporation, at the invitation of the Board of Trustees’ quarterly meeting. This afforded Prof. Aba Amfo the opportunity to extend the University’s appreciation to the Board and Corporation for its uninterrupted support to UG for graduate training and faculty research development since 2010.
The Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) has supported the University through project phases, each lasting two-three years. They include:
Next Generation Academics in Africa: Enhancing University of Ghana’s Capacity to deliver Post-Graduate Research and Training-NGAA (Phase 1) at USD1,8M in 2010 and Next Generation Academics in Africa: Toward Postgraduate Training and Research Programmes to advance scholarship and improve the retention of African academics (Phase 2), at US$2.35M (2012). The rest are Accelerated Ph.D. Training through Diaspora Linkages Programme, at US$650K in 2014 (through which PADA was established); Building a New Generation of Academics in Africa (BANGA Africa, Phase 1) at US$2.94M (2016]; Building a New Generation of Academics in Africa - (BANGA Africa, Phase 2) at (US$2.025M) (2019); and Building a New Generation of Academics in Africa - (BANGA Africa, Phase 3) at US$1M (2022).
The activities supported under these projects include skills training (proposal writing training, writing workshops), graduate student scholarships, faculty research grants, teaching and laboratory equipment, refurbishment of lecture halls, etc. In addition, prior to the NextGen projects, UG received CCNY funding for ICT support and the establishment of a Research Commons at the Balme Library.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that, given the expertise UG has built over the years, it is best placed, with continued support from CCNY, to become a sub-regional hub for research leadership and graduate training.
She also acknowledged Carnegie Corporation’s support in her personal academic and leadership development through funding of her post-doctoral programme (through the African Humanities Programme), for conference participation (through the Institute of International Education) as well as her participation in the International Women’s Forum Leadership Foundation programme.
Prof. Amfo had brief interactions with the President-Elect of the Corporation and Oxford University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Louise Richardson, as well as other members of the Board. It is expected that the sustained relationship between UG and Carnegie Corporation will be maintained under the presidency of Professor Dame Louise Richardson.
