GRASAG-UEW Hosts 7th International Multidisciplinary Conference
The Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana, University of Education, Winneba Chapter (GRASAG-UEW) has held its 7th International Multidisciplinary Conference for Postgraduate Students at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre, North Campus, Winneba.
The three-day conference was under the theme "Paradigm Shift in Pedagogical Innovations for Transformative Education. The conference featured guest speakers and presenters from diverse backgrounds who provided insight into contemporary issues in education to inform policy and practice.
Prof. Victor Antwi, who presided over the opening ceremony on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mawutor Avoke, commended the graduate school for putting research at the centre of its mandate to guide educational practise and policy with the best of information gleaned from research. He said UEW had, since its establishment, lived up to its core mandate to be the hub for excellence in teacher training through such initiatives.
“We have not only performed this task excellently, but we have also distinguished ourselves, especially at the graduate level, as the forerunners in education research in Ghana and the continent at large,” he stated.
The Vice-Chancellor’s representative indicated that while UEW takes so much pride in leading the charge for teacher training, the institution has evolved in some fields of study and continues to be competitive in such disciplines.
"UEW is now a known force in Theatre Arts, Business Administration and is currently the second-best school in Communication and Media Studies in Ghana. This gives credence to why this conference was christened multidisciplinary," he affirmed.
The German Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Daniel Krull, who was the keynote speaker, stressed the importance of investing in research, science, and education. He called on participants to be dedicated to equipping the young generation in the country with the set of skills needed to make Ghana an integral part of the global workforce.
"We all know it’s a very challenging task because the skill set targets are moving even faster than 10 years ago. I’m just mentioning artificial intelligence as one important current driving force in changing the skill set requirements. This is why I think this conference is so well organised and the call for proposals and abstracts is so relevant, and I think it will be a very important tool in trying to improve education in Ghana," he asserted.
The Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Prof. Samuel Kwesi Asiedu-Addo, highlighted the need to gather scholars with a shared goal to celebrate the power of research and its profound impact on society. He said the presence of researchers from various cultural backgrounds working in diverse fields of study would facilitate their potential to transform ideas into action, forge new frontiers of knowledge, and shape the future of scientific inquiry.
“Your research serves as a beacon of hope, offering solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our world. It is through your collective efforts that we pave the way for progress and make a significant impact on society,” he professed.
Prof. Asiedu-Addo encouraged seasoned and early-career researchers to engage in meaningful discussions and foster mentorship opportunities, adding that nurturing the next generation of scientists and scholars ensures a bright future for the research community.
The President of GRASAG-UEW, Mr. Ransford Samovie, expressed his outfit’s commitment to upholding GRASAG-UEW’s mandate of nurturing exceptional educators across all tiers of education in Ghana.
He reflected on the journey that began with the inaugural conference in August 2016, courtesy of Mr. Samuel Ofori-Danquah. "Over the years, this platform has burgeoned into a global congregation of scholars from diverse fields, converging annually to share their research insights and collaboratively address the critical national and transnational issues that shape our shared destiny."
The opening ceremony also saw speeches from the Director General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), Prof. Edward Appiah; Vice-Dean, Faculty of Education, Universitat Hamburg, Germany, Prof. Dr. Telse Iwers; and Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology Education, University of Cape Coast, Prof. Douglas D. Agyei, who spoke variously on the importance of academia’s focus on the teaching and research of artificial intelligence in accelerating the national development agenda.
Additionally, there were goodwill messages from the Vice-Dean, School of Graduate Studies, UEW, Dr. Akwasi Amoako Gyampah; Dean, School of Business, UEW, Prof. Awaisu Imurana Braimah; Co-Chairman of the Planning Committee, Prof. Charles K. Assuah; and President, GRASAG National, Mr. Thomas Elorm.
A total of 75 abstracts from 15 universities around the world were submitted to the conference.
