The partnership, known as the Hollard X Academia, a corporate social investment initiative, entails sharing resources, providing mentoring support for students, and helping the University to develop its entrepreneurial acumen.

The three-year partnership, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Hollard, Patience Akyianu, is also aimed at bridging the gap between academia and what the world of work expects.

Patience Akyianu, Hollard Group CEO

She said students must be work-ready by giving them skills beyond what they learn from textbooks.

She made the remarks ahead of the signing of the memorandum of understanding to signal the start of the partnership in January 2022 between the two institutions at UENR in Sunyani in the Bono Region on Tuesday. It was witnessed by top managers of Hollard and management members of UENR.

“We are uniquely placed to achieve this because very central to our module of doing business is entrepreneurship. We set people up to be self-sufficient and be able to create their own jobs without waiting for the government”, she said.

The GCEO also said they are doing this as part of their contribution to nation-building and economic development because, “at Hollard, we are a catalyst for positive and enduring change”.

Patience Akyianu further revealed that the Hollard X Academia comes in five modules.

She explained that Hollard Prize -will award a student each year with a citation, laptop, and cash prize, Hollard Scholar Program -will award a third year and a final year student each with tuition grants each year, Hollard Streetwise Finance Engagement –where each year a mentoring seminar will be organized to give research insights and offer entrepreneurial inputs to both staff and students, Hollard Corporate Experience –where a student will have an internship during the long vacation and a national Service placement each year, and Thought Leadership Events –where a Hollard or a related industry player will speak in an annual event at the University.

She also announced that the Hollard X academia partnership will also be extended to the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Coast, and the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

Hollard, which has been in operation in Ghana for almost 25 years has two subsidiaries -a general insurance company and a life insurance company –with a purpose to enable more people to create and secure a better future.

Managing Director, Daniel Boi Addo

According to the Managing Director, Daniel Boi Addo, by the end of the partnership, which is subject to renewal, they expect to positively impact the society in a win-win situation, even as they aim to become the nation’s favorite insurer.

The Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako, in welcoming the partnership, hopes the collaboration will grow and expand to other institutions and translate into the growth of Hollard and to the benefit of the country.

He urged the company to also take advantage of the partnership and have some of their staff upgrade themselves at the university.

Patience Akyianu, Hollard Group CEO and Prof Elvis Asare Bediako, VC, UENR

The Pro VC of UENR, Prof Adebayor Adekoya, also assured the company that the faculty of mathematics and statistics would be available to assist in research in mathematical and statistical modeling.

He also called for more training collaboration and curriculum development to ensure that students are prepared to the standard required by the industry.