Prez Mahama calls for stronger university–industry partnerships to prepare graduates for jobs

President John Dramani Mahama has stressed the need for Ghana to deepen collaboration between universities and industries to make graduates more ready for the job market.

He made this declaration after his visit to the Singapore Institute of Technology and Biopolis during the Africa Singapore Business Forum.

The President urged universities to work closely with industries and focus more on applied learning and research that solve real-life problems.

He explained that this would help prepare students for the future of work.

According to him, applied learning, internships, and programmes linked to national priorities should be encouraged so that graduates can gain practical experience and be better placed to meet the needs of employers.

President Mahama highlighted the importance of public–private partnerships, particularly in life sciences and biotechnology.

He said such partnerships could create jobs, drive innovation, and improve lives if research focused on solutions that benefitted society.

He noted that the process of aligning education with industry needs was started by then Minister for Education, now Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and emphasized that this effort must be continued.

The President expressed gratitude to his hosts in Singapore and said Ghana looked forward to building partnerships that would help advance higher education, innovation, and healthcare.

By: Jacob Aggrey