Vice Chancellor pays a reciprocal visit to Kyungpook National University, South Korea

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), led a delegation to visit Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea from 7th to 11th August, 2023. This was at the invitation of the President of KNU, Won-hwa-Hong, PhD., who visited UCC early this year to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate with UCC as a strategic partner. The visit was to deepen the collaboration and to discuss the implementation of some aspects of the signed MoU.

The UCC delegation was made up of Prof Johnon Nyarko Boampong (Vice chancellor). Mr Emmanuel Jeff Teye Onyame (Registrar), Prof. R. S. Amoah (Dean, School of Sustainable Engineering), Prof. Degraft Acquah (Dean, School of Agriculture) and Dr Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi (Acting Dean, Office of International Relations).

As part of the implementation of the general MoU signed between the two Universities, two Sub- Memoranda of Understanding were signed during the visit. The first was signed between UCC and KNU NGs Core Facility Centre and the second was signed with the KNU Biological Materials. Under these MoUs, there would be exchange of faculty and training of students at the PhD level through research grants. Collaborative research in the areas of genomic sequencing, soil and plant medicine as well as natural plant products were also to be undertaken through joint grant applications. Under these projects, KNU will make available its equipment and facilities to UCC faculty for data processing and analysis as UCC faculty can send samples from Ghana to KNU for further investigations.

The President of KNU also agreed to facilitate a special scholarship package that will help students and faculty from UCC to undertake their studies at the postgraduate level in KNU,particularly through the KINGS Scholarship. Apart from the special scholarship program, KNU also agreed to take special interest in recruiting potential faculty members from UCC on the KOICA Scholarship programme.

As part of the discussions, KNU also agreed to review the curricular of the School of Sustainable Engineering at UCC and to facilitate the establishment of the School at UCC with equipment and faculty. The School of Agriculture and the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences as well as the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience were also to benefit from the MoU through joint projects as well as faulty and students’ exchanges.

The delegation was taken on a tour of some companies to familiarize themselves with the nature of work and opportunities available for industrial practice. Key among them were the EcoPro company which produces materials for the manufacture of secondary batteries for cars and other devices and POSCO Steel manufacturing Industry – one of the leading producers of steel globally. UCC students who go on study abroad and exchange programmes would have the opportunity to undertake internships in these companies to broaden their perspectives with industrial practices.

The team also agreed to discuss further on tuition waiver, offering of free accommodation, and provision of stipend to students from both universities who embark on study abroad or exchange programmes between the two universities.

Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong with the President of KNU, Won-hwa-Hong, PhD.