President Mahama urges stronger regional ties in higher education and research

President John Dramani Mahama has called on African countries to work more closely together in higher education and scientific research, saying many of the continent’s pressing challenges cannot be solved by individual nations acting alone.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) Programme in Accra on April 7, 2025, Mr Mahama said the scale and complexity of problems such as food security, climate change, digital technology, and public health demanded greater cooperation across borders.

“The challenges of our time are too complex, too costly, and too knowledge-intensive to be tackled in national isolation,” he told the gathering of education leaders, researchers, and government officials.

Mr Mahama described the ACE Programme, which has supported over 50 research centres across Africa, as evidence of the benefits of regional partnerships in advancing knowledge and innovation.

He said Ghana had played a leading role in the initiative, hosting research centres that had made notable progress in tackling agriculture, health, and genetic research challenges.

These include the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), and the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), all based at the University of Ghana.

Mr Mahama said Ghana’s experience in managing these centres could offer useful lessons to other African countries, particularly as they confront growing threats to agriculture, public health, energy, and technology development.

He said it was important for universities and research institutions on the continent to work not only with each other but also with industry and public sector agencies to make their research relevant to the needs of their people.

“We must ensure that the research conducted in our universities has tangible outcomes that address the real needs of our economies,” Mr Mahama said.

“Through partnerships between universities, industry, and public institutions, we can better align curricula with current market demands, promote applied research, and create pathways for students to transition into meaningful employment,” he added.

Mr Mahama said Africa’s youth unemployment crisis remained a matter of deep concern. He argued that expanding access to science, technology, and innovation education was one of the best ways to create new opportunities for young people.

He also drew attention to the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, which he said continued to disadvantage many women across the continent.

The President commended the ACE Programme for encouraging more women to enter STEM-related fields but said further efforts were needed to make science education more inclusive.

Mr Mahama urged African governments to invest more in their research institutions, arguing that this was necessary if the continent was to compete in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.

“Through sustained academic engagement, coordinated investments, and joint research, we can equip the next generation with the skills needed to harness emerging technologies and drive local innovation,” he said.