Akatsico, UNCG deepen partnership for academic development

The Akatsi College of Education (Akatsico) and the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG) in the United States have deepened their institutional partnership, with both institutions exploring opportunities in research, academic exchanges, professional development and international collaboration.

The engagement, held at the Akatsico Conference Room, brought together the College Management, Heads of Departments and Heads of Units to discuss practical steps towards translating the partnership into sustainable and measurable academic activities.

Dr Felix Kwame Kumedzro, Principal of Akatsico, said the engagement marked an important step towards transforming the emerging relationship between the two institutions into a sustainable partnership based on mutual benefit.

He said the collaboration would focus on joint research and publications, faculty and staff development, faculty and student exchanges, as well as joint conferences, seminars and workshops.

Dr Kumedzro said the College’s Governing Council had already approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNCG, expressing the expectation that the engagement would help both institutions develop a clear roadmap for implementing the partnership.

He said Management was committed to moving beyond discussions to practical and measurable activities that aligned with the College’s vision of innovation, quality teacher education, research and internationalisation.

Dr Morgan Chitiyo, Dean of the School of Education at UNCG, said the partnership would create opportunities for students and faculty of both institutions to broaden their global perspectives while strengthening research and professional development.

He said the collaboration would also open opportunities for Akatsico staff and graduates to pursue graduate and doctoral programmes at UNCG in disciplines including Education, Business, Arts and Sciences.

Dr Chitiyo said UNCG had limited funding, grants and scholarships available to support visiting students and faculty members undertaking programme upgrades or research, with successful PhD candidates potentially having opportunities to work as Research or Teaching Assistants.

As part of the partnership, the first cohort of students from UNCG’s Department of Specialised Education Services is expected to visit Akatsico in November 2027 for a study programme.

Senior representatives from UNCG are also expected to accompany the students to Ghana, providing an opportunity for academic interaction and knowledge exchange between students and faculty of the two institutions.

Akatsico students are, in turn, expected to have opportunities to visit UNCG under the reciprocal exchange arrangement.

The two institutions also agreed to explore the development of a dedicated e-learning platform to facilitate online collaboration in research, teaching and learning.

The engagement further highlighted opportunities for joint research projects, academic publications and applications for research grants as key areas for strengthening the partnership.

A hybrid conference scheduled for October 17, 2026, is also expected to provide an opportunity for educators, alumni and researchers from both institutions to participate in academic discussions.

The College identified hosting partner students and faculty, securing research grants, producing joint publications and achieving qualitative impact on teacher education as some of the key indicators for measuring the success of the partnership.

Dr Kumedzro reaffirmed Akatsico’s commitment to sustaining and nurturing the relationship, saying the partnership aligned with Theme Four of the College’s five-year Strategic Plan, which focuses on national and international partnerships for development.

Akatsi College of Education, established in 1963, is a public College of Education in the Volta Region offering Bachelor of Education programmes in various disciplines.

The College continues to pursue initiatives aimed at strengthening teaching, learning, research, professional development and institutional partnerships.