The Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Ingrid Mollestad, has inaugurated the Norway-Ghana Alumni Association, a network of Ghanaians who have studied in various Norwegian universities.
Comprising more than 75 members, who work in academia and the private sector in Ghana and abroad, the Association aims to promote networking, professional development, and cultural exchange between the two nations.
At the brief event held at her residence in Accra yesterday , Ms Mollestad, lauded the creation of the Association and expressed the hope that it would contribute positively to further developing Norway-Ghana relations.
“The people-to-people connections represented by the alumni enrich and add an important dimension to the overall relationship between the two nations,” she said.
Sharing her delight about the feedback she had received from Ghanaians who had studied Norway, the Ambassador urged more Ghanaians to explore educational opportunities available in her country.
She said Norwegian universities offer a high quality of education and a conducive environment for personal growth, cultural exchange, and skill development, and hoped the alumni could testify to this.
Ms Mollestad also said that Norway has university-to-university cooperation with some Ghanaian universities, including the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Ghana.
The Ambassador, therefore, urged the leadership of the association to think of innovative ways to ensure that the aims of the network are realised and the association will be active for years to come.
The President of the Alumni, Mrs. Irene Owusu-Poku, expressed appreciation for educational opportunities offered by Norwegian universities, which have had a lasting influence on their professional and personal lives.
She said the association would use its platform to spread the word in their respective fields, thereby contributing to the grooming of the next generation of human resources.
Invoking Nelson Mandela’s words, “Knowledge is a potent tool for bringing about global transformation,” Mrs. Owusu-Poku highlighted the alumni association’s focus on harnessing the positive impact of education provided by Norwegian universities.