4 public universities to slug it out at a national Independency Day debate on March 5

Four leading public universities are set to engage in a spirited debate on Monday, March 5, 2024, to mark Ghana's Independence Day.

Representatives from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, and University of Development Studies will converge at the University of Ghana School of Law Auditorium for the Advanced Higher Education National Independence Debate, on the theme "Africa must decolonise to effectively address the scourge of climate change."

The National Independence debate, which is opened to the public, is being jointly organised by the University of Edinburgh School of Social & Political Science, University of Ghana School of Law, Africa Earth Alliance, an advocacy organisation and the National Union of Ghana Students, with funding from the University of Edinburgh Principal’s African Partnership Fund.

The event aims to showcase the perspectives of youth on the vital issues of decolonization, climate change, and sustainable development. The panel of judges are Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, Chief Executive of the John A Kufuor Foundation, Dr. Kwabena Oteng Acheampong, Lecturer Faculty of Law, GIMPA, and Dr. Atudiwe P. Atupare, Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana School of Law. The rest are Mrs. Julia E. Selman-Ayetey, Dean and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Cape Coast and Mr Daniel Kyeremeh Oppong, President, National Union of Ghana Students.

The structured public forum-style debate aligns with the University of Edinburgh's commitment to nurturing a new cadre of informed leaders actively shaping the future and it forms part of a series of collaborative events between the UK-based university and institutions in Ghana and Zimbabwe.

Preceding the debate is a "Responsive Engagement and Academic Leadership" workshop in Accra scheduled for the 4th and 5th of March 2024. Subsequently, an academic writing workshop, named "Empowering African Researchers – Workshop," will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 11th to 15th March 2024.

These events aim to bring together academics, students, Pan-African institutions, and policy leaders to deliberate on critical subjects like climate change and sustainability. Led by African researchers and thinkers, the discussions will notably incorporate a decolonial perspective.

In March 2023, during a visit to Ghana, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, announced the establishment of the Principal’s African Partnership Fund. The multi-year commitment seeks to explore innovative educational opportunities for African students and foster responsive research partnerships across the continent. Aligned with the University's strategic research priorities—health and care, harnessing data, digital, and AI, and climate and sustainability—the fund aims to spearhead innovations in healthcare, technology utilisation, and addressing environmental challenges.