Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has visited the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to learn from their applied-learning model and strong university-industry partnerships.
According to Ghana News Agency, the SIT integrates work and study, collaborates closely with industry, and focuses on applied research that delivers business impact.
The statement from Ghana's Presidency highlighted that SIT's new campus within the Punggol Digital District exemplifies how academia, industry, and the community can be tightly integrated to prepare students for the future of work. President Mahama also toured Biopolis, a premier biomedical research hub.
Biopolis is a center where leading public and private institutions collaborate across the full life-sciences Research and Design (R and D) value chain, from basic discovery to clinical development and medical technology. It demonstrates how coordinated public-private collaboration can drive innovation and economic growth.
The statement noted that key takeaways for the President included the importance of deepening university-industry collaboration to make graduates more work-ready and future-ready. It emphasized that Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, then Minister for Education, initiated the process of understanding the needs of Ghana's institutions and industry, which must be continued.
The statement also cited the need to encourage applied learning, internships, and programmes aligned with national priorities; strengthen public-private partnerships in life sciences and biotechnology; and focus research on solutions that create jobs and improve lives. President Mahama expressed gratitude to his hosts at SIT and Biopolis for the insightful exchanges and looked forward to building partnerships that will help accelerate Ghana's progress in higher education, innovation, and healthcare.
