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One of the world’s leading science and technology research institutions, the Imperial College, London, has set up a hub in Ghana.
The hub, Imperial Global Ghana, will be a knowledge centre that serves as an anchor point to build on a growing network of West African partners in university, government, development and civil society to support the co-creation of research, education and entrepreneurship programmes.
The establishment of the hub is part of Imperial’s mission to foster youth innovation and create lasting impact.
It is also part of the institution’s work to empower young innovators, create sustainable solutions and drive forward the next wave of scientific and technological breakthroughs.
Imperial Global Ghana will act as a strategic base to develop long-term engagement across West Africa.
Based in Accra, the Ghana centre would position Imperial as an institution that is anchored in Africa, with partnerships grounded in reciprocity and collective impact.
Imperial Global Ghana will leverage existing partnerships to co-create a wide range of research, innovation and capacity-building programmes.
The launch of the hub at the residence of the British High Commissioner to Accra last Wednesday attracted a host of dignitaries including persons from academia and alumni of the college.
Speaking at the event, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, said the event was a truly momentous occasion and a significant milestone in the strengthening of academic and scientific collaboration between the UK and Ghana.
“The Imperial College, London is globally renowned for its excellence in science, engineering, medicine, business and innovation.
“In fact, Imperial has just been recognised as the second university globally for the quality of its academics, a truly impressive feat and we congratulate you wholeheartedly,” she said.
Ms Thompson said the decision to set up in Ghana was a sound one and that it was a testament to the shared vision and commitment to fostering innovation, advancing knowledge and addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today and to doing those things together.
She said the UK and Ghanaian governments had identified over 360 separate partnerships between Ghanaian institutions and their UK counterparts.
The partnerships cover areas of academic research, science and innovation.
For his part, the President of the Imperial College, London, Professor Hugh Brady, said what the hub was trying to do was to create a collaborative science and technology platform that would “allow us to address some of the really big issues facing humanity and facing our planet.
“Those of you who are active in research will know that the grand challenges facing us require unprecedented collaboration at a real scale that crosses borders, that is truly, truly international. So that's what we're trying to do,” he said.
