Chief Executive of Emigoh, Stephen Eku delivered a presentation on ‘Effective Industrial Placement of University Students’.

This formed part of the HSWT-Africa University Collaboration’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and industry collaboration.

He said this at the conference, held in Weihenstephan, Triesdorf, Germany from July 11 to July 12.

A Platform for Innovation and Collaboration

The HSWT-Africa University Collaboration is known for bringing together leading academic institutions & industry professionals from around the globe.

This year’s conference focused on “Making African Agricultural Universities More Effective for Rural Areas” providing a platform for the exchange of innovative practices and collaborative opportunities.

Advocating for Student Success

In his submission, Mr. Stephen Eku highlighted the critical importance of industrial placements in enhancing students’ employability and bridging the gap between academic learning and practical industry experience. The presentation emphasized:

1. The Duration of Internship: Internships are typically too short to be effective. His recommendation was to extend internships to a year or adopt a split-week model for more meaningful learning experiences.
2. The Level of the Student: First-year students often lack the knowledge needed for meaningful contributions. He recommended that internships be scheduled for Year 3 students, who can offer better contributions due to their advanced knowledge.
3. Training Institution’s Involvement: He intimated that institutions tend to be passive in arranging internships and recommended that institutions should play an active role in arranging internships, involve industry in curriculum development, and offer continuous education and consultancy services.
4. Government Incentives/Policies: In his view, government support is crucial for fostering industry engagement. His recommendation was for the Introduction of policies that incentivise Companies (through tax support & grants) to provide training and internships.

Looking Ahead

Mr. Stephen Eku continued that effective collaboration should span the entire food value chain, from farm to fork.

Universities should focus on research and training & partnering with industry for profit-sharing after developing innovations. For example, KNUST interns helped Emigoh solve a significant challenge in our factory some time back.

To support rural development, universities should admit more rural students at affordable costs, enabling them to return and develop their communities.

Ghanaian universities should focus on producing more hands-on professionals rather than administrators. These insights aim to foster effective strategies for academia-industry collaboration.