The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) and the Business and Financial Times (B&FT) have initiated discussions to formalise a mutually beneficial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for broader collaborations that will ultimately offer opportunities to student development.
The proposed partnership, which is aimed at closing the gap between academia and industry, seeks to enhance students access to current affairs and authentic news content, trends and business analysis needed for academic purposes, provide practical opportunities for students and foster collaboration in research and knowledge dissemination.
The Vice Chancellor of UPSA, Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, who assumed office barely three months ago, emphasised his commitment to addressing critical challenges and forging strategic partnerships to elevate the university’s impact.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by a B&FT delegation, Prof. Mawutor highlighted the need for locally relevant educational materials and industry collaboration to deliver tailored materials for teaching and learning that make graduates industry-ready in the local context.
“We are looking forward to partnerships that will help address various system challenges in the institution. For instance, about 80 percent of the educational materials in our library are authored by foreign nationals, largely from the Western world. We want to partner with companies that see the opportunity to advance business and collaborate with the institution to develop content tailored for our students,” he stated.
He added that with over 500 courses and a student population of over 26,000, UPSA presents a significant opportunity for mutually beneficial business partnerships; hence, its doors are open to more such initiatives.
The VC also addressed the learning preferences of Generation Z (Gen Z), dispelling the myth that they do not enjoy reading. “Gen Zs like to read, but in their own space—digital platforms. They are drawn to content that captures their attention, so by providing engaging materials and involving faculties to suggest interesting content for analysis and discussion, we can better direct their interests,” he explained.
Registrar of UPSA, Lorraine Gyan, echoed the Vice Chancellor’s vision, noting that the proposed partnership aligns with UPSA’s goals to provide students with access to textbooks, laptops, IT resources, internships, scholarships and coverage of university events such as career fairs. “This collaboration will create a win-win situation for both academia and industry,” she added.
The VC, during the discussions, proposed the MoU to formalise the collaboration between UPSA and B&FT to mark a significant step toward bridging the gap between academia and industry.
He is optimistic that by combining UPSA’s academic expertise with B&FT’s industry insights, the partnership will create a dynamic ecosystem that benefits students, faculty and the broader business community.
B&FT’s commitment to educational partnerships
The B&FT, a leading business and financial newspaper in Ghana, is spearheading a new initiative to partner with higher educational institutions, particularly those offering business communication-related programmes.
The initiative aims to provide students with valuable news, data insights and analysis to support their academic and professional growth while also offering them the opportunity to contribute to content creation.
Dr. Godwin Acquaye, CEO of B&FT, led the delegation to UPSA and commended the VC on his appointment and the university for its reputation as one of the best business schools in the country.
“As a business newspaper, this collaboration is vital to equip students with authentic information, analysis and data to rely on in their decision-making processes,” he said.
He also highlighted the newspaper’s commitment to providing a platform for students and lecturers to contribute thought-provoking articles for publication.
Dr. Daniel Amateye Anim-Prempeh, Director of Research and Economic Analysis at B&FT, revealed that the newspaper already has an existing partnership with the Faculty of Law at UPSA, with some lecturers serving as keynote speakers at B&FT events such as the flagship Ghana Economic Forum (GEF).
He also expressed optimism that a broader collaboration would unlock diverse opportunities for both institutions as lecturers will not only get opportunity to participate in such programmes but also get the platform to publish articles and research work of national interest.
The management of the B&FT recently also visited the University of Media Arts and Communication- Institute of Journalism (UniMAC-IJ) to foster similar relationship.
The partnerships are expected to not only enhance the quality of education at the institutions but also contribute to the development of a more informed and skilled workforce in Ghana.
