A delegation from Tohoku University, Japan, visited the University of Ghana to discuss possible academic collaborations between the two institutions.
The meeting, hosted by the Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, aimed to establish mutually beneficial academic partnerships that would enhance research in the areas of agriculture, engineering and technology, as well as student exchanges for both Tohoku University and various departments within the College.
Prof. Onwona-Agyeman welcomed the team led by Prof. Akiyoshi Yonezawa, Vice-Director of the International Strategic Office and accompanied by Prof. Kuroikwa Taku, Associate Professor at the University. The Provost expressed gratitude to Tohoku University for the opportunity to collaborate and share expertise in various fields. He further emphasised the potential for partnerships that could enhance both institutions and the wider academic community. He made special mention of the Tohoku University Faculty of Agriculture and expressed his optimism for substantial collaboration in this area.
Prof. Yonezawa highlighted the importance of the partnership and acknowledged his colleague Prof. Kuroikwa Taku from the Department of French, who specialises in research on Francophone African Literature, for spearheading the collaboration. Emphasising their commitment to strengthening existing partnerships especially, with African Universities, he acknowledged the need to enhance linkages between the Japanese and Ghanaian universities as it currently exists with Iowa University.
During the meeting, the College Academic Affairs Officer, Mr. Daniel Hormeku, provided an overview of the University of Ghana’s history, mission and core values, highlighting its status as the first university in Ghana. This was followed by Prof. Yonezawa's presentation on the prestigious history and research focus of Tohoku University. Discussions focused on areas such as agriculture, technology and biomedical engineering.
Mrs. Barbara Blankson, the Senior Assistant Registrar at the International Programmes Office, expressed gratitude for the meeting and looked forward to continued discussions beyond the meeting.
Present at the meeting were Prof. Irene Susana Egyir, Dean of the School of Agriculture; Prof. Elvis Tiburu, International Programmes Coordinator at CBAS; Prof. Thomas Aquinas Adjadeh, Department of Soil Science and Ms. Victoria Anim, Public Affairs Officer of CBAS.
