KNUST to introduce mandatory AI course for all students next academic year
By Stephen Freeman
Beginning the next academic year (2025/2026), all students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) will be required to take a one-credit course in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, said the initiative, which forms part of the new national AI strategy as well as the university’s own AI framework, has already been approved by the Academic Board and the Governing Council for implementation.
“Effective next academic year, every student will take a micro-credential course in AI, which will be run on the university’s e-learning platform. Students and staff who undertake the course will be certified to make them globally competitive,” she announced.
Prof Dickson made this known at the opening of the 11th KNUST Summer School on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
The three-day event is on the theme “Artificial Intelligence in Education.”
The KNUST Summer School has evolved into one of the university’s flagship professional development initiatives.
From its beginnings in 2011, when only 250 senior members participated in the first edition themed “Equipping Staff for Leading Change in Academia,” the programme has expanded in both scope and participation.
Prof Dickson said staff members who wish to enrol to enhance KNUST’s academic credentials would also be permitted to do so, noting that students could choose to take the course in their first, second, or any subsequent year before completing their studies.
She stressed the need for the university community to embrace innovation. “We cannot remain static; our pedagogical architecture must evolve to align with emerging trends,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor added that the university would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the government, to harness the full potential of AI for national development.
“We must learn to use AI tools and related technologies, but we must not forget the ethics associated with their use. We must apply them responsibly to promote the growth and development of the country,” she stated.
