united kingdom of west africa
Imperial College London opens its first African hub in Ghana, giving it a permanent science and technology (S&T)-only base in Africa, with the aim of strengthening collaboration in research, technology, education and entrepreneurship. It was the first British university.
The site, known as Imperial Global Ghana, is the third site opened by Imperial College London outside the UK.
Stephen Johns, international communications manager at Imperial College London, told University World News: “We already have existing hubs in Singapore and San Francisco in the US, which opened earlier this year, and we are also opening a hub in India next year. We are planning to open one,” he said.
These hubs allow Imperial to expand its activities around the world. These include entrepreneurship programs, startup accelerators, student referrals, and programs aimed at providing new technology.
Regional cooperation
Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said the new Ghana site “builds on our strong working relationship with the University of Ghana and the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and marks the start of further collaboration in West Africa.” I plan to use it as a point.” and region.”
“Together, we will create greater research and innovation capabilities and support the next generation of entrepreneurs who can seriously tackle the big problems of our time, particularly climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic preparedness.” “I think it will help develop that,” Brady said. Said.
“Likewise, they will apply their discoveries to create the next small businesses, enterprises and jobs in Ghana, while impacting the world in these critical areas.”
On the day the hub opened, Imperial Global Ghana launched a new fellowship scheme. These include the Imperial Schmidt AI Fellows Programme, which supports young researchers at the University of Ghana and AIMS in collaboration with Imperial’s Artificial Intelligence Science Center in London.
Imperial Schmidt’s Ghana AI Fellows will join a global group of fellows alongside counterparts from India, Brazil and Malaysia.
Another initiative, the AIMS-Imperial Global Fellows Program, will see 40 postdocs work together in Accra to develop professional, research and collaborative skills to tackle the challenges of climate change and rapid urbanization. I plan to.
national science and technology system
Dr. Harris Andoh, a higher education researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI) in Ghana, told University World News that science and technology hubs will “strengthen the nation’s science and technology.” It plays an important role in that.” Particularly in Africa, many of these systems are influenced by colonial legacies or are funded primarily by donor support from countries in the Global North. ”
He said Ghanaian scientists were leaders in research areas that met the objectives of the hub. “Hosting this hub in Ghana is therefore a commendable initiative,” Ando said.
“This builds on previous initiatives such as the German government’s establishment of the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (WASCAL) and the Global Change and Water Cycle in the Volta Basin (GLOWA Volta) project, which has trained a large number of climate scientists. It complements the efforts of the relevant experts,” Ando said.
Mr. Ando said that Ghana’s national science system has historically welcomed cooperation and partnership with institutions in the Global North, primarily due to the central government’s “very large share” of gross domestic expenditure on research and development for innovation (GERD). This is because they are allocating only a small amount.
Danger of duplication
However, apart from the artificial intelligence part of the hub’s research focus, other areas such as climate change and health have been repeatedly studied and funded by various donors over the years, but often these There has not been a thorough assessment of the impact of its activities on science and innovation in Ghana. It has implications for the system and the broader well-being of the population,” Ando said.
“This lack of evaluation raises concerns that the hub may replicate previous efforts without achieving significant results,” he said.
“Another issue is the sustainability of the hub after the funding period ends,” says Ando. “Without a clear sustainability strategy, centers may find it difficult to continue operating in the long term.”
While the new hub has the support of many stakeholders, a key challenge is aligning its focus and objectives with the strategic plans and initiatives of Ghana, other West African countries and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). said Ando. Regional frameworks for addressing climate and health.
“Another challenge includes accessing climate change and health-related data collected by scientists and other stakeholders over many years, which avoids duplication of past research and “Partnerships are essential to ensure long-term benefits,” he said.
Integration into policy
Mr. Ando said that educational and research institutions, particularly research councils and higher education institutions, should carefully assess existing collaborations on climate change and health and develop “new and relevant developments within these areas that would strengthen national scientific innovation systems.” He argued that the focus should be on building “niche fields” that are
“Developing niche areas such as this will not only strengthen Imperial Global Ghana’s programs, but also address specific challenges in climate change and health, thereby improving outcomes for Ghana and the wider region. That’s it.
“One persistent problem in Ghana and across Africa is the limited acceptance of research results by stakeholders, including the individuals and institutions conducting the research.
“Knowledge generated is often poorly disseminated and incorporated into policy, even at the local level.Imperial Global Ghana’s work is relevant to policy-making at all levels and the hub needs to ensure that its research findings and collaborative efforts are effectively translated into actionable policies and practices to maximize their impact,” Ando said.
