UEW Hosts Canadian Delegation to Discuss Teacher Mobility and Graduate Studies
Management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on Wednesday, 28th January, 2026, received a three-member delegation from the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism under the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development, Canada and Memorial University, Canada, at the Council Chamber of the University to explore avenues for institutional collaboration.
The delegation comprised Mr. Andrew Kim, Director of Graduate Enrolment Services at Memorial University; Ms. Meg Foote from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and Ms. Blessing Opoku, also from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Introducing the delegation, Prof. Charles Assuah, the Dean of the Centre for International Programmes (CIP) at UEW, stated that the visit was informed by Canada’s recognition of the exceptional performance of Ghanaian graduates, particularly alumni of UEW and the University of Cape Coast within the Canadian education system. According to him, evaluations conducted by Canadian institutions revealed that UEW graduates possess strong professional competencies, making them highly effective teachers.
Prof. Assuah disclosed that the Canadian Province of Newfoundland is currently experiencing a significant shortage of teachers, prompting discussions on formalising pathways that would enable qualified UEW graduates to take up teaching appointments in Canadian schools. He added that Memorial University was also interested in strengthening academic linkages with UEW by promoting affordable postgraduate opportunities for Ghanaian students who wish to pursue master’s and other graduate programmes in Canada.
Mr. Andrew Kim, speaking on behalf of Memorial University, indicated that the institution was keen on expanding its partnership network in Ghana, particularly with UEW, given the outstanding academic performance of UEW graduates enrolled in its graduate programmes. He noted that the proposed collaboration would further strengthen graduate education and research exchanges between the two institutions.
In his response, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, the Vice-Chancellor of UEW, reaffirmed the University’s unique mandate as Ghana’s only public university exclusively dedicated to teacher education. He highlighted UEW’s focused commitment to deepening and expanding education through specialised undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes across the sciences, humanities and education-related disciplines.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the success stories of UEW alumni occupying leadership and senior teaching positions in Canadian schools were a testament to the quality of training offered by the University, stating that such outcomes did not come as a surprise to management. He expressed UEW’s readiness to collaborate with Canadian partners in areas of mutual benefit, including addressing identified skills gaps, curriculum enhancement, faculty exchange and programme development aligned with international standards.
Prof. Mitchual further proposed structured engagements between the Canadian delegation, the Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and CIP to streamline priority areas for collaboration and facilitate the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He also expressed UEW’s interest in reciprocal institutional visits to enhance discussions and strengthen the proposed partnership while also considering future collaborations in related fields such as healthcare education and laboratory capacity development.
Contributing to the discussions, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, the Director of Finance, emphasised the need for sustainability in any partnership arrangement, stressing that collaborative initiatives should focus on long-term capacity building rather than short-term gains.
Similarly, Prof. Frimpong Kaakyire Duku, the Principal of the College for Distance and e-Learning (CODeL) assured the delegation of UEW’s flexibility in designing tailor-made programmes to meet the specific needs of Canadian partners, should such programmes not already exist within the University’s academic portfolio.
Earlier, Mrs. Ekua Abedi-Boafo, the Registrar of UEW, formally welcomed the delegation to the University and expressed management’s appreciation for the visit, noting that the engagement provided an opportunity to explore meaningful collaboration in higher education and professional development.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advance discussions towards a formal partnership framework that would enhance teacher mobility, graduate education and institutional cooperation between UEW and Canadian partners.
