The School of Journalism and Media Studies (SOJAMS) at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) has partnered with Northwestern University in the United States and Culture Beyond Borders (CBB) for a collaborative journalism project aimed at giving students practical reporting experience.

The project will see students from Northwestern University and UniMAC work together to report on a wide range of Ghanaian topics, including fashion, culture and heritage, Adinkra symbols, food, Fugu, as well as other issues of social and cultural interest.

The Northwestern University students arrived in Ghana on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, to begin the project.

On Wednesday, September 9, the students will commence field reporting after a session dubbed “Journalism Day.” The session will bring the students together to plan and prepare for their respective assignments.

Following the planning session, the students will be divided into groups, with each group comprising one or two UniMAC students alongside Northwestern University students. The groups will move to different locations to investigate and report on their assigned topics.

At 6 p.m. each day, the groups will return to brief the wider team and staff on their findings, experiences and progress. The field reporting and evening briefing sessions will continue through Thursday.

On Friday, September 11, the team will travel to Kumasi, where another “Journalism Day” will be held to prepare the students for the next phase of their reporting.

On Saturday, September 12, the students will visit Kante Village in Kumasi to investigate the history of Kente, its cultural significance and its impact on contemporary Ghana.

The team will also visit the Adinkra Village and the Palace Museum as part of efforts to deepen their understanding and reporting of Ghana’s cultural heritage.

On Sunday, September 13, the students will remain in Kumasi to review and finalise their findings from the various field assignments.

The team will then travel to Cape Coast on Monday, September 14, where they will visit the Last Bath River and Cape Coast Castle to report on their historical and cultural significance.

On Tuesday, September 15, the students will return to Accra and use Wednesday, September 16, to finalise their work before presenting and discussing their findings with the CBB team.

The project will conclude on Thursday, September 17, when the Northwestern University students are expected to depart Ghana, while the UniMAC students will return to campus.

The collaboration between SOJAMS, Northwestern University and Culture Beyond Borders is designed to expose students to the practical demands of journalism by allowing them to work together in the field, conduct interviews, gather information and produce stories on Ghanaian culture and society.

The Dean of SOJAMS, Prof. Godwin Etsu Sikanku, has welcomed the partnership and urged UniMAC students to take the opportunity seriously, emphasising the importance of practical experience in preparing them for the demands of the media industry.

The initiative is expected to strengthen international collaboration between journalism institutions while providing students with first-hand experience in cross-cultural reporting and storytelling.