The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Computer and Electricals Engineering of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (DEEC-UENR), Sunyani to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between both institutions.

The purpose of the MoU is also to foster a healthy collaboration that will lead both institutions to jointly conduct research in emerging technologies.

According to the Director-General of GI-KACE, Dr Collins Yeboah-Afari, the signing of the MoU between the two institutions forms part of their bit to help the Government’s Digitalization transformation agenda.

Dr Yeboah-Afari who spoke during the signing of the MoU at the premise of GI-KACE in Accra on June 23, stated that the Centre was happy to reinforce the relationship with the University Of Energy and Natural Resources which already existed in the past.

“The actual purpose of this occasion is to facilitate the DEEC-UENR student participation and hands-on sessions on campuses and our centres in Sunyani and Accra. We will also jointly conduct research in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), and accommodate your students for internships and others,” Dr Yeboah-Afari disclosed.

“For us as an institution, this is part of our bit to help the Government’s Digitalization transformation agenda. We see this relationship as a building block that will help elevate both institutions’ statuses needed to do our quota in achieving the government’s IT Transformation Agenda.

On his part the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako commended both institutions for their collaboration.

“These days, one institution cannot do it alone. Both University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) are therefore supposed to support each other to support the government’s vision. GI-KACE is supposed to champion this idea because ICT is now the trend, and so whether you like it or not, it is ICT that is ruling the world and so we want to commend you for what you have been doing,” Prof. Asare-Bediako said.

“This collaboration is, therefore, key to supporting each other in order to achieve national development. Every sector of government institution strives on ICT and especially trends in order to survive in the digital space in boosting the national economy. Your task in educating the entire nation in ICT has made this relationship even more essential since we are located in the central part of Ghana. Reciprocity and collaboration are key for us to achieve our goals.”

He noted that UENR is looking to run academic degrees internally for GI-KACE staff who would want to upgrade themselves.

“It is my wish that this MoU that we have signed will not be the type that will gather dust on the shelve but rather a more active one. I have no doubt that we will work together to ensure that this MoU becomes exemplary and move the government’s agenda forward.”