University of Ghana, University of Limerick sign agreement

The University of Limerick has signed a formal agreement with the University of Ghana to facilitate the collaboration between the institutions and to cooperate in a number of areas including education and in academic research.

The signing ceremony took place during the visit to the University of Ghana by the Irish Minister for Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D. and Ireland's Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana & Senegal, H.E. Sean Hoy.

The signing marks the first agreement between an Irish university and a university in Ghana was attended by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey and Vice President Academic and Registrar of the University of Limerick, Professor Paul McCutcheon.

The MOU will enable collaboration between the two universities and will provide the framework to explore co-operation on academic programmes; development of joint research activities; facilitation of university staff exchanges; training and development post-graduate students; student exchange and/or visiting programmes; exchange of information, research collaboration in areas of mutual interest and any other activities viewed to be mutually beneficial.

Professor McCutcheon said this groundbreaking agreement is in keeping with the new strategic thinking of the University of Limerick’s, ‘Broadening Horizons’ which is outward looking in every sense.

He said the University of Limerick, like the University of Ghana is a research led institution and looked forward to an exciting and fruitful collaboration at all levels.

Professor McCutcheon announced the awarding of scholarships to University of Ghana students for their post graduate studies.

Minister Simon Coveney said while this was the first formal agreement between an Irish and Ghanaian University, Ireland had a long association with the University of Ghana.

Dr Conor Cruise-O’Brien, an Irish academic and politician, was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana by Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in 1963 and remained Vice Chancellor until 1965. Incidentally, 2015 is the 50th anniversary the ending of his tenure.

Professor Ernest Aryeetey, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, said the agreement with a research-led university is part of his vision for the University of Ghana to become a world class research-intensive university over the next decade.

He said he looked forward to a genuine and active partnership between the two institutions.

The University of Limerick, Ireland was established in 1972 and was named 'University of the Year’ 2015 in the Sunday Times Good University Guide. The University’s leading position in graduate employability, strong research commercialisation, the €52million Bernal Project in science and engineering and a rising academic performance were among the reasons for the Award.

The University of Ghana was established in 1948 and is Ghana’s oldest and largest tertiary institution. It is the highest ranked university in Ghana.