UEW, German Embassy Deepen Engagement on Education and Research Cooperation
The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has renewed its engagement with the German Embassy in Ghana to strengthen and explore opportunities for cooperation in education, technology, research, and technical and vocational training.
The discussions took place when a delegation from UEW, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, paid a reciprocal visit to the German Ambassador to Ghana, H. E. Frederik Landshoft and officials of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to discuss the existing partnership and avenues for expansion between the University and German institutions.
The discussions centred on upgrading the University’s German Unit into a fully fledged department, establishing a language laboratory to enhance the teaching and learning of German and securing additional support for staff development, research and institutional partnerships.
Prof. Mitchual was accompanied by the Registrar, Mrs. Ekua Abedi-Boafo; the Finance Officer, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie; the Dean of the Centre for International Programmes; Prof. Dandy George Dampson and the Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages Education, Prof. Charlotte Fofo Lomotey. The delegation expressed appreciation to the German Government for its longstanding support for the University and Ghana's development.
Prof. Mitchual acknowledged Germany's contributions to economic investment, scientific research and technical and vocational education, highlighting its support for student and staff exchanges, capacity-building programmes and the establishment of the German Unit at UEW.
The Vice-Chancellor appealed for staffing support to facilitate the proposed transformation of the Unit into a department. He also underscored the need for a language laboratory to provide students with practical opportunities to develop their German language proficiency and strengthen the University's capacity for foreign language education.
Prof. Mitchual further appealed to Ambassador Landshoft to facilitate collaboration between UEW and Germany's Ministry of Education. He noted the potential for such a partnership to expand academic engagement and create opportunities for institutional development.
Ambassador Landshoft and his team welcomed the delegation and expressed their willingness to support the University's development agenda. The Ambassador was particularly encouraged by the growth of UEW's German Unit since its establishment, signalling the potential for further development of German language education at the University.
He highlighted a growing interest in Ghana among German companies. He noted that the country is set to host the upcoming German-African Business Summit. This shift, he opined, opens new avenues for collaboration between academia, industry and international partners.
As part of efforts to advance UEW's research agenda, Ambassador Landshoft pledged to support connections between the University and relevant research agencies in Germany. Such links could open avenues for research collaboration, knowledge exchange and access to expertise in areas of mutual interest.
The UEW delegation was received by Ambassador Landshoft, DAAD Country Director Lena Leumer, and Annett Geithner, Coordinator of the University's German Unit.
The visit brought into focus the potential to build on existing Ghana-Germany cooperation by strengthening language education, expanding research partnerships and creating opportunities for staff and student development.
