Led by Professor Padam Simkhada and Senior Lecturer Precious Adade Duodu, from the School of Human and Health Sciences at the University of Huddersfield, the research project aims to track the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of NCDs. During a recent visit to the University of Ghana, both teams agreed to collaborate on this ambitious URF-funded project. This pioneering effort is set to provide valuable data for evidence-based interventions and policy recommendations, contributing to the global understanding of NCDs.

Professor Simkhada commented, "I am thrilled to announce the initiation of our longitudinal study on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ghana. This venture signifies our dedication to understanding and tackling the changing circumstances of this dynamic nation. Through this study, we aim to gain valuable insights into the trends and impacts of NCDs over time, contributing to sustainable development and positive transformation. Together, we embark on a journey towards a future shaped by knowledge, empathy and collective progress."

Precious Adabe Duodu commented, "It's extremely exciting to be part of setting up this all-important longitudinal study which will have long-lasting impact on population health, disease prevention and management."

The Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School, Professor Alfred Edwin Yawson, commented, "This longitudinal study represents a groundbreaking endeavour, marking the first of its kind in Ghana. The University of Ghana takes great pride in hosting and supporting this significant research initiative."

Global Consortium for Public Health Research

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significance of public health research and the need to work collaboratively on a global scale. The University of Huddersfield recently established the Global Consortium for Public Health Research (GCPHR), supported by the International Collaborative Fund (ICF), which promotes global health research networks. It comprises of teams from the University of Huddersfield and the University of Ghana, as well as other academic and industrial institutions in the UK, USA, Nepal, Canada, India, Qatar, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, Bangladesh, among others.

This project was initiated through the GCPHR and serves as a platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, among others to share insights, resources, and best practices. It creates a dynamic space for interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange, joint research projects, and capacity building in the fields of medicine, public health, nursing, midwifery, sociology, and other related fields.

The URF funding will enable the consortium to expand on its existing research network with the addition of new international researchers, which will strengthen this global partnership and its research into the causes and risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The University of Huddersfield – Inspiring Global Professionals

The University of Huddersfield has a growing reputation as an inspiring, innovative provider of higher education of international renown. Researchers at the University of Huddersfield are dedicated to solving the problems and answering the questions posed by industry, science and society as a whole.  The University's research is showcased by world-leading applied research groups in biomedical sciences, engineering and physical sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities.

The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three ratings (overall, student outcomes and student experience) in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) (September 2023). The ratings show you the extent to which a university or college delivers an excellent experience and outcomes for its mix of undergraduate students and across the range of its undergraduate courses and subjects. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award recognising the University's commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2022). We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships which mark the UK's best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 20 since 2008 (2022 data).

In 2021, the University gained a Queen's Anniversary Prize for its role in advanced measurement in smart manufacturing. The prize recognised the ground-breaking work of the Centre for Precision Technologies. In 2019, the University gained a Queen's Anniversary Prize for the innovative work of the Institute of Railway Research. This followed the 2015 Queen's Anniversary Prize for expanding global boundaries in new music.

Recognised as a leader in enterprise and innovation, the University has been the recipient of the Times Higher Education magazine's awards for the University of the Year, Entrepreneurial University of the Year and Outstanding Leadership and Management and also a recipient of Queen's Awards for Enterprise.  The University has been awarded an overall 5 Star rating from QS Stars, which renders the university's rating as world-class in Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Innovation, Internationalisation and Inclusiveness.

The University annually enrols over 19,000 students to an increasingly multicultural campus that welcomes students from over 120 countries on to a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across subjects covering...

...the sciences, engineering and IT

...health, education and the social sciences

...business, management, law and accountancy

...architecture, design, humanities and the arts.