The Building Stronger Universities project (BSU III) in collaboration with the Centre for Business Development, KNUST focused on innovations and research commercialisation through partnerships at the 2023 Academia-Industry and Research Innovation Conference.  

The Building Stronger Universities project which is in its third phase provided the opportunity for researchers, innovators and students to showcase their innovative ideas and prototypes to industry partners and explore avenues for commercialisation.

Speaking at the conference, representing KNUST Vice-Chancellor, and former provost of the College of Science, Prof. Aboagye Menyaeh challenged participants to make contributions and build partnerships.

“To the academic researchers, I urge you to reach out, share your findings and seek practical application for your innovation.”

“To the industry leaders, please open your doors to the vast reservoir of academic insights, harness their potential and craft potentials that will shape the future together.”

The head of Department of the Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extensions, Professor Dadson Awunyo-Vitor said that the partnership between academia and industry will bridge the gap between the two.

“The connection between academia and industry also set the pace for bridging the gap between academia and the industry.

“A study conducted by quality assurance showed that one of the key issues that came up was that they lack practical and internship so academia and industry will help bridge the space gap,” he said.

Prof. Charles Marfo, the Provost of Humanities and Social Sciences, KNUST said: “the discourse around the world is that after school most of us find it difficult to get somebody to employ us.

 “So, if there’s a forum like this to empower our students that even before they finish school, they have been able to identify something that the industry out there will be seeking from them. That's good news.”

The conference saw a poster presentation and displays of research works by students and scientists.

The initiative, Building Stronger Universities (BSU) in developing countries, led by Danish universities, was launched in 2011 with the aim of institutional capacity building.

The third phase of the Building Stronger Universities programme builds on lessons learned from phase 2.

It consolidates results and focuses on fewer thematic science areas, and is thoroughly adapted to local contexts, needs and priorities identified by the Southern partners. It also adds emphasis on the capacity of the Southern universities to perform outreach, engage with a variety of stakeholders and encourage uptake of research results relevant to growth and development. The key principle of Southern leader- and ownership of the partnerships has been maintained.

Phase 3 consists of six collaboration projects between African universities and a consortia of Danish universities.