On Monday, 1st June 2026, the International Programmes Office (IPO) at KNUST had the distinct pleasure of hosting a high-level delegation from the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa. The team, led by Dr. Joseph Owusu, Academic Programme coordinator under the Mastercard Foundation, comprised Prof. Tracey Naledi and Dr. Xolani Disu, paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Dean of the IPO, Prof. (Mrs) Augustina Angelina Sylverken. The historic visit opened the door to exciting new frontiers for academic, research and institutional collaboration between two of the continent's leading universities.
The discussions centred on a powerful shared vision: transforming higher education into a dynamic tool for entrepreneurship, social transformation and real-world application. A key highlight of the meeting was UCT’s innovative approach to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Rather than offering traditional financial aid alone, UCT strategically aligns scholarship opportunities with critical developmental needs, focusing heavily on youth employment, youth development and strengthening healthcare systems by linking academic journeys to real-world programs.
Proposing an exciting collaborative framework for postgraduate education, Prof. Naledi highlighted a model that envisions joint Master’s and Doctoral research initiatives. This framework includes shared faculty supervision and comparative studies analyzing educational and developmental outcomes across both Cape Town and Kumasi, allowing students to study similar research questions across different African contexts.
Prof. Mrs. Augustina Angelina Sylverken expressed strong agreement with the proposed models, enthusiastically affirming KNUST's commitment to the partnership. She noted that the IPO is highly dedicated to fostering sustainable faculty development, joint mentorship and cross-border research networks. By uniting the distinct strengths of KNUST and UCT, this burgeoning partnership promises to create invaluable opportunities for students and faculty alike, driving impactful research that transforms communities across Africa.
Also present at the meeting were; Mrs. Yvonne Baiden, Mr. Joel Mensah and Miss. Patricia Frimpong Manso, all from the IPO.
