KNUST Falls on India’s Radar for Collaboration
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) will soon enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with India for a remote educational programme.
The Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E Manish Gupta, made this known to the Chancellor of the institution who is also the Monarch of the Asante Kingdom on September 26, 2024, during a courtesy visit to the Manhyia Palace to introduce himself formally.
This was after his first visit to the University based in Kumasi.
Briefly speaking about it, he said the collaboration will be the first educational project under his leadership as India’s Envoy.
“My first port of call in Kumasi was the University and I know education is dear to your heart…Our first big university collaboration is with the Tech University. We are doing remote educate project awarding degrees…I would like to discuss how to take this partnership forward.”
H.E Gupta used the opportunity to extend India’s felicitations to the King on his Silver Jubilee on the Golden Stool and communicated his country’s readiness to enhance bilateral relations with Ghana.
“We are quite honoured that we have quite a number of Indian Community here. We look forward to your blessings and guidance and enhanced relationship.”
The Asantehene welcomed the plan for collaboration and urged him to reach out to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Rita Akosuah Dickson.
He further expressed his delight with the conduct and relations of the Indian community in the country and particularly within his kingdom.
“There is quite a number of Indian population here who are doing very well and we get along quite well. They are creating jobs for us. We feel very comfortable with our brothers from India here. India and Ghana are very good sisters since the era of Kwame Nkrumah at the time of independence. It’s a relationship we cherish so much. The scholarship you offer students here and the technical expertise we acquire from you are some of the relations we have built during the era of your predecessors. Look forward to that during your term.”
His Majesty called for the exploration of avenues for knowledge and technological transfer between both countries for mutual benefit.
“We still would want a collaboration in terms of small-scale industries that keep the economy going in India and I feel that as a developing country Ghana would also learn from that. We seek technology transfer collaboration to give the needed training to our people. If our students in high schools and universities could gain access to India to learn more from you. We can do it in Agriculture for example. Though there is the collaboration in the highest level of government, down {here among the people} we know there is more room for collaboration.
“In India you can see small-scale industry in the garage. We want that to be replicated here so that we create employment. How do you feed your over one billion population? Ours is a small fraction of yours but we are having problems with food production and so we have to learn from you. In your term, these areas, I want us to collaborate to benefit mutually.”
H.E. Gupta was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Nimeeshe Gupta; Second Secretary (Commerce, Consular, PIC & Education), V. N Parameswaran; and his Personal Assistant, Dan Topper.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
