On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, a delegation from AMREF International University (AIU), Kenya, comprising Professor Alice Lakati, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Extension; Professor Dancan Irungu, Rector of the Institute for Sustainability, Innovation and Professional Education (ISIPE); Ms. Beatrice Mukusa, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer; Ms. Maryanne Mugi, Training Coordinator and Administrative Manager at ISIPE; and Mr. Paul Kofiyambo, Project Manager of the Health Entrepreneurship Centre, paid a courtesy call on Professor Edmund Ekuadzi, Dean of the International Programmes Office (IPO) at KNUST.
Professor Lakati provided an overview of AIU, noting that although the University is only nine years old, it is steadily expanding across the African continent with offices in ten countries. She emphasized AIU’s interest in extending its collaborations to Ghana. Established by AMREF Health Africa, an NGO with over 68 years of experience in public health training, AIU continues to focus on capacity building and innovation across the continent.
Professor Irungu highlighted the longstanding collaboration between AIU and KNUST through the African Health Collaborative (AHC), funded by the Mastercard Foundation. He explained that the purpose of their visit was a learning exchange to gain insights into KNUST’s institutional practices as they prepare to launch a Health Innovation Hub in February 2026, with a particular interest in learning from KNUST’s health and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Dr. Princess Acheampong, Liaison Officer for the AHC at KNUST, outlined the three pillars of the collaborative: Health Employment, Health Ecosystem, and Health Entrepreneurship, emphasizing that Health Entrepreneurship is a key focus area for mutual learning and knowledge sharing.
Speaking on behalf of University Management, Professor Ekuadzi warmly welcomed the delegation, underscoring KNUST’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. He noted the changing landscape in higher education, where traditional pathways to employment are no longer sufficient, and stressed the University’s dedication to developing sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities for graduates and youth. He further affirmed KNUST’s willingness to support AIU through expertise and formal partnerships and recommended key University facilities, including the Office of Grants and Research, to support their initiatives.
The meeting also included Professor Wilberforce Achiaw Owusu-Ansah, Head of Health Entrepreneurship under the AHC; Ms. Dinah Keziah Gardiner, Assistant Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Mastercard Foundation; and members of the IPO team: Professor Mrs. Augustina Angelina Sylverken, Vice Dean; Mrs. Yvonne Baiden, Senior Assistant Registrar; Ms. Ernestine Oheneba Danso, Collaborations and Partnerships Officer; and Ms. Patricia Frimpong-Manso, Visibility and Communications Officer.
Â
