The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have signalled their commitment to deepening institutional cooperation following a high-level engagement between the leadership of the two institutions.

The engagement took place when the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Dennis Worlanyo Aheto, led a delegation from the University to pay a courtesy call on the Managing Director of ADB PLC, Edward Ato Sarpong, and the Bank’s Deputy Managing Director in charge of Services, Prof. Ferdinand Ahiakpor.

The UCC delegation included Gideon Enoch Abbeyquaye, Registrar, and Mr. George Amfo-Antiri, Director of Finance.

The visit provided an important platform for the two institutions to strengthen their relationship and explore opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, particularly in areas that could leverage the respective strengths of academia and the financial services sector.

Welcoming the delegation, the ADB MD, Edward Ato Sarpong expressed appreciation to the UCC leadership for the visit and underscored the importance of building strong institutional partnerships.

He noted that collaboration between the banking sector and academia could create opportunities for knowledge exchange, human capital development, and innovative solutions that contribute to national development.

He reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to building sustainable relationships with reputable institutions and expressed the Bank’s readiness to explore practical areas of cooperation with UCC.

Prof. Ferdinand Ahiakpor also highlighted the importance of stronger academia-industry collaboration, noting that closer engagement between universities and businesses could help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry requirements.

For his part, Prof. Dennis Worlanyo Aheto expressed appreciation to the management of ADB for the warm reception and emphasised UCC’s interest in strengthening its relationship with the Bank.

He indicated that the visit was to first of all, thank and appreciate ADB for sending a delegation from Accra to congratulate him when he was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

On institutional partnership, Prof. Aheto emphasised that closer cooperation between the two institutions could create opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity building and other initiatives of mutual benefit.

The meeting also afforded the leadership of both institutions, an opportunity to exchange perspectives on institutional development and the important contribution that strategic partnerships can make towards developing human capital and supporting Ghana’s socioeconomic advancement.

The courtesy call marks a new chapter in the relationship between ADB and UCC, with both institutions expressing their willingness to strengthen the engagement and explore practical opportunities for deeper collaboration.