Mahama urges closer university-industry collaboration
President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for Ghana to deepen collaboration between universities and industry, saying such partnerships are crucial to preparing graduates for the world of work, advancing research and driving national development.
The President made the call during his working visit to Singapore, where he toured the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Biopolis, the country’s biomedical research hub, after delivering the opening keynote address at the Africa Singapore Business Forum.
At SIT, President Mahama observed the university’s applied-learning approach, which blends work and study, strengthens ties with industry and prioritises research with practical business impact.
He described the institution’s Punggol Digital District campus as “a model of how academia, industry and community can be aligned to prepare graduates for the future of work.”
President Maham also visited Biopolis, where public and private institutions collaborate across the life sciences research and development chain, from basic discovery to clinical development and medical technology.
He noted that the hub demonstrated “how coordinated public–private collaboration can accelerate innovation and drive economic growth.”
Drawing lessons for Ghana, the President emphasised the importance of deepening university–industry collaboration to make graduates more work-ready, expanding applied learning and internships, and aligning academic programmes with national priorities.
He also stressed the need to strengthen public–private partnerships in life sciences and biotechnology, while focusing research efforts on solutions that create jobs and improve lives.
President Mahama further noted that this vision builds on efforts initiated by Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang when she served as Minister of Education, aligning higher education more closely with industry needs.
“We are grateful to our hosts at SIT and Biopolis for the insightful exchanges. We look forward to building partnerships that will help accelerate Ghana’s progress in higher education, innovation and healthcare,” he added.
