DRID-UEW Hosts Seminar on Institutional Visibility and Global Competitiveness
The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development (DRID) at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), in collaboration with the Division of Human Resource, has organised a seminar to strengthen institutional visibility and enhance the university’s global competitiveness.
Held at the North Campus Mini-Conference Room on Wednesday, 20th May, 2026, the seminar brought together members of the university management, teaching and administrative staff as well as stakeholders in higher education to deliberate on strategies for positioning UEW more prominently within the global higher education landscape.
Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, the Vice-Chancellor of UEW and Chairman of the occasion, emphasised that the theme of the seminar, “Institutional Visibility and Global Competitiveness,” speaks directly to the University’s aspirations and long-term strategic vision.
He stressed that although UEW continues to make steady progress in teaching, research and institutional development, there is a need for more deliberate and sustained efforts to attain greater international recognition. He observed that universities seeking global relevance consistently monitor their progress, strengthen quality assurance systems and adopt innovative approaches to teaching, research and administration.
Prof. Mitchual further underscored the importance of embracing emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), in modern higher education administration and teaching. He encouraged lecturers, administrators and university leaders to continuously build their capacities in the use of digital tools and AI-driven systems to improve efficiency and productivity.
The Vice-Chancellor also challenged staff to take institutional growth seriously. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that UEW grows into a globally competitive institution capable of fulfilling its mandate to the people of Ghana and beyond.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof Alfred Kuranchie, the Deputy Director of DRID, described the seminar as timely and significant in advancing UEW’s aspiration of becoming an internationally reputable institution for teacher education and research. He noted that the University had, over the years, made deliberate efforts to improve its visibility through participation in various global university ranking systems.
Delivering the keynote presentation, Mr. Victor Okeugo, the Regional Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Times Higher Education (THE), highlighted the need for African universities to intentionally position themselves as global brands rather than merely academic institutions.
He noted that many African universities undertake impactful research and innovations but often fail to gain international recognition due to limited visibility and weak branding strategies. He encouraged UEW to deliberately position itself as a global brand by effectively showcasing its strengths, research achievements and unique identity to attract partnerships, funding opportunities and global recognition.
He further observed that institutional visibility goes beyond rankings and involves shaping how the University is perceived globally through research excellence, innovation, effective communication and strategic branding.
The interactive session provided an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas and gain valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of higher education and international competitiveness.
The seminar formed part of UEW’s broader efforts to strengthen its internationalisation agenda and build institutional capacity for improved global engagement, visibility and competitiveness.
