The University of Professional Studies (UPSA) is challenging students to move beyond classroom knowledge and develop innovative solutions to some of Ghana’s everyday problems.

The call was made at the university’s Innovation Day, which featured an interdisciplinary research business pitch competition involving 16 student groups.

The competition gave students the opportunity to present ideas designed to address real-world challenges while demonstrating how knowledge gained in the classroom could be translated into practical solutions.

The Vice Chancellor of UPSA, Professor John K. M. Mawutor, said education must go beyond academic knowledge, urging students to ask how they can use what they know to solve problems in society.

He said the university is placing greater emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship, rather than limiting students’ learning to the classroom.

Professor Mawutor said the university’s role is not only to produce graduates with knowledge, but also to equip them to create solutions and businesses from that knowledge.

At the end of the competition, SMART FIRM emerged as the overall winner, while TASK REPORTING SYSTEM FOR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT placed second. SEARCH BUDDY AI took the third position.

The Vice Chancellor also announced the launch of UNIVA360, a new accounting software developed jointly by UPSA staff and a student.

According to Professor Mawutor, the software reflects the university’s broader commitment to recognising and supporting innovation among its students and staff.

The initiative comes at a time when universities are increasingly being challenged to produce graduates who can not only seek employment but also identify problems, develop solutions, and create opportunities.

For UPSA, the innovation challenge is therefore moving the conversation from what students know to what they can do with what they know.