The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) on Friday held an orientation programme for newly admitted PhD students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.

This is to prepare them for advanced research in climate change, land use, and policy development under a German government–funded scholarship initiative.

WASCAL which has been supported by the German government and its Ministry of Education and Research since 2011.

It operates across several African countries with the goal of training researchers capable of addressing climate change challenges on the continent. Each year, the programme enrolls about twelve PhD students from its affiliated countries into its three-and-a-half-year doctoral programme, offering them full scholarships and research opportunities.

Speaking at the event, Professor Wilson Agyei Agyare, a faculty member involved with the programme, highlighted the critical role academia plays in finding solutions to climate-related issues.

“When you take the people in academia, ours is to research and come up with solutions that will help. Then the technocrats will have to take this on board, and policymakers will have to make policies that address these concerns. I believe academia is doing its best,” he said.

Throughout their studies, WASCAL students are required to undertake theses, publish research papers, present academic posters, and develop policy briefs, all aimed at bridging the gap between scientific research and real-world policy solutions.

However, Professor Agyare also acknowledged existing challenges in translating academic findings into actionable policies.

“Moving from academia to policy to implementation is where, at times, the process has not always been able to go through,” he noted.

Since its establishment, WASCAL graduates have contributed significantly to various sectors across Africa, using their expertise to influence environmental policies, drive climate research, and support sustainable development initiatives.