UEW Explores Partnership with IT for Youth Ghana to Enhance Digital Skills

Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, Vice-Chancellor of UEW, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to initiatives that promote the empowerment of women, children and the youth. He explained that UEW’s core mandate is to train teachers for all levels of education and that “any collaboration that helps our teachers to be properly trained to deliver when they go to the field” is in the right direction.

Prof. Mitchual stressed the importance of embracing the current global shift towards information technology, adding that UEW cannot afford to lag behind its peers. He hinted at plans to collaborate with international partners such as the German Ministry of Education to establish a modern ICT laboratory, noting that the University already has drawings and budget considerations for the project. He also revealed that management is exploring policy options to ease the financial burden on students with special needs.

Mr. Peter Duodu, Executive Director of IT for Youth Ghana, outlined the scope of his organisation’s ongoing collaboration with universities across Ghana under the Erasmus Fund project. The €850,000 programme brings together universities, NGOs and international partners including two German organisations and Prime Academy, to develop IT programmes that complement university curricula in innovation, entrepreneurship and digital skills.

Mr. Duodu explained that participating universities are expected to identify their specific needs and submit proposals for funding. He added that the consortium also plans to establish technology and innovation clubs for women and girls in Africa, Vietnam, Bulgaria and Germany to promote student and volunteer exchanges and to address cultural shocks often experienced by visiting students. He invited UEW to nominate representatives to the national oversight committee that is coordinating girls-in-coding and digital skills clubs at the grassroots levels.

Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UEW, described the proposed partnership as “a very good idea” and welcomed the opportunity to secure grants for the University’s projects.

She said UEW is eager to involve more students in such programmes and highlighted existing initiatives including a summer-school-style cultural immersion programme that exposes international students to Ghanaian languages, African arts and local culture over six weeks. She suggested that this programme could complement IT for Youth Ghana’s plans to mitigate cultural shock for visiting students.

Prof. Enoch F. Sam, Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development (DRID) noted that UEW already has a strong foundation in ICT-related outreach. He cited the University’s ongoing EU-funded GOT project on ICT and its Community STEM Club, which trains school children aged five to 18 in computing and coding every Saturday. “UEW also hosted the AI, Robotics and STEM Summit for the second time in Ghana last month,” he added.  

Prof. Sam revealed that DRID had secured an EUID and is engaging MTN Foundation on a new computer laboratory which will feed into the proposed collaboration.

Prof. Anselm K. Abotsi, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Education, recounted how his faculty first engaged IT for Youth Ghana earlier this year to explore ways of integrating IT and entrepreneurship training into curricula. He said draft memoranda of understanding (MOUs) had been exchanged and reviewed by UEW’s legal team to ensure due diligence before committing the University to any agreement.

He noted that UEW students missed an earlier pilot training at Accra Technical University due to examination schedules but efforts were underway to arrange similar opportunities on the Winneba campus.

The courtesy call ended with a shared commitment by UEW management and IT for Youth Ghana to fast-track discussions on a formal MOU and to identify priority areas such as the ICT laboratory and student mentorship in coding clubs. Both parties expressed optimism that the collaboration would advance digital literacy, innovation and entrepreneurship training at UEW while creating new pathways for international partnerships.