By Esther Mateyko Kumah
Accra, Sept. 25, GNA – Wisconsin International University College Ghana (WIUC-Ghana) and Riphah International University of Pakistan have inaugurated a Joint Steering Committee to deepen collaboration in education, research and professional development.
The Committee is expected to provide strategic direction for implementing the partnership following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions on June 15, 2026.
The collaboration will cover teaching and research, faculty and student exchanges, capacity building, professional development and the development of emerging academic programmes, subject to relevant regulatory and accreditation requirements.
The inauguration, held both in-person and virtually, brought together academic leaders and stakeholders from Ghana and Pakistan, including the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Ghana, Mr Najeeb Durrani, representatives of the two universities, members of the Joint Steering Committee and faculty members.
Speaking at the ceremony in Accra, Dr Lawrence A. Kannae, President of WIUC-Ghana, said the partnership reflected a shared commitment to academic excellence, innovation and ethical values, with a focus on producing graduates who were globally relevant and locally impactful.
He said the inauguration went beyond the establishment of a committee, describing it as a step towards building a bridge of knowledge, culture and friendship between Ghana and Pakistan.
Dr Kannae said a major component of the partnership was the proposed establishment of a state-of-the-art dental school in Ghana.
He said the proposed school would help expand access to quality dental education, research, innovation and clinical services, while responding to an identified need in the country’s health education sector.
He said WIUC-Ghana would seek to draw on Riphah International University’s experience in dental education while combining the academic expertise and human resources of both institutions.
On capacity building, Dr Kannae said both universities had experienced lecturers, researchers, professionals and specialists whose expertise could be shared for mutual benefit.
He said the institutions would explore opportunities for staff development, professional training and certification programmes, as well as the possible development of jointly delivered academic programmes.
Dr Kannae reaffirmed the institutions’ commitment to ensuring that the development and implementation of programmes complied with applicable academic, regulatory and accreditation requirements.
The Joint Steering Committee said its immediate priority was to translate the MoU into formal agreements covering practical and mutually beneficial activities in teaching, research, academic engagement and institutional development.
The partnership would build on the existing academic programmes, institutional strengths and human resources of the two universities to promote faculty collaboration, teaching and research.
The Committee said the institutions would also explore jointly delivered certification and professional development programmes, including possible subsidised access to selected programmes, subject to the applicable regulatory and accreditation requirements.
It said another area of focus would be the identification and development of emerging academic programmes that could be jointly delivered by the two institutions.
The Committee emphasised that all proposed programmes should comply with applicable regulatory and accreditation frameworks to ensure realistic and sustainable academic development.
On health sciences and dental education, the committee said WIUC-Ghana was, particularly, interested in learning from Riphah International University’s experience in dental education and applying that expertise to the development of dental education in Ghana.
The Committee described the partnership as a progression “from an MoU to meaningful collaboration, from collaboration to capacity building, from capacity building to joint programmes, and from joint programmes to sustainable institutional development.”
The Chancellor of Riphah International University, Dr Hassan Muhammad Khan, welcomed the partnership and underscored the importance of developing an institutionally meaningful relationship between Ghana and Pakistan.
He said the collaboration should go beyond the formal signing of agreements and translate into tangible opportunities for students, faculty members and researchers.
The Chancellor emphasised the importance of academic excellence, knowledge sharing and partnerships that responded to the changing needs of society.
GNA
Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage
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