Wisconsin International University College, Ghana (WIUC Ghana) and Riphah International University, Pakistan, have taken a significant step towards strengthening their academic partnership with the formal inauguration of a Joint Steering Committee to oversee and advance the implementation of their collaboration.
The ceremony attended by H.E. Mr Najeeb Durrani, High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Ghana, and H.E. Ambassador Genevieve Apaloo, Coordinating Director for Asia and Pacific Affairs at Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also brought together university leaders, education regulators, academics, faculty members, administrative staff and members of the WIUC Ghana community, underscoring the growing importance of the partnership between the two institutions.
The Joint Steering Committee is mandated to provide strategic direction for the collaboration and translate the shared vision of both universities into practical and sustainable initiatives that will create opportunities for students, faculty and the wider academic communities of both institutions.
Welcoming guests to the ceremony, the President of WIUC Ghana, Dr Lawrence A. Kannae, described the occasion as the formal beginning of a strategic relationship anchored in cooperation and shared purpose. “Today is more than a meeting. It is the formal birth of a strategic friendship between two great institutions that share a common belief: that universities must collaborate, not compete, to solve the challenges of our time.”
Dr Kannae noted that the partnership would serve as a bridge for the exchange of knowledge, culture and expertise between West Africa and South Asia, while further strengthening the longstanding relationship between Ghana and Pakistan through higher education.
The Chancellor of Riphah International University, Mr. Hassan Muhammad Khan also highlighted the longstanding ties between Ghana and Pakistan and the shared institutional values of integrity, excellence and freedom. He expressed optimism that the partnership would extend beyond the proposed establishment of a state-of-the-art Dental School in Ghana to encompass broader and long-term academic initiatives.
Expanding Opportunities For Students
Among the initiatives discussed was a proposed exchange scholarship programme for 20 students from the WIUC Ghana School of Nursing and Midwifery. The proposed programme is intended to provide students with international exposure, broaden their academic and professional perspectives, and create opportunities for cross-cultural learning.
The initiative reflects the broader vision of the partnership to create meaningful opportunities for student mobility, academic exchange, professional development, research and institutional collaboration.
Joint Steering Committee
Members of the Joint Steering Committee on both Riphah and Wisconsin were formally sworn in, giving the committee the mandate to coordinate and guide the implementation of the partnership.
On the side of Wisconsin, the committee comprises:
Dr Winfred Korletey Baah
Dr Denise Awukubea Mantey
Mr Emmanuel Duku, Head of Compliance, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission
Mr Jacob Fynn, Chief Operating Officer, WIUC Ghana
Dr Ian Asare
Dr Julius Kwaku Adu Ntim
Professor Angela Kwartemaa Acheampong, Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Mr Martin Luke Tay, Senior Assistant Registrar, Quality Assurance Unit, WIUC Ghana
Riphah Steering Committee Members included:
Prof. Dr. Yawar Hayat Khan – Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics
Mr. Muhammad Raza Khan – Deputy Vice Chancellor Management
Brig Syed Mujtaba Tirmizi SI (M) – Director International Business Development and Global Connectivity
Mr. Muhammad Junaid Khan – Director Marketing
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zubair – Dean Faculty of Computing
Mr. Khurram Shahzad – Dean Faculty of Management Sciences
Prof. Dr. Raheela Yasmin – Dean Riphah Academy of Research and Education (RARE)
Mr. Atiq Ur Rehman – Head Admissions and Marketing RAKCODS
Mr. Nauman Mansoor – Head International Office
Mr. Yahya Khan – Manager Strategy and Business Development
The diverse expertise of the committee members in healthcare, higher education, regulatory affairs, university administration, academic quality assurance and teaching is expected to provide a strong foundation for the effective coordination and implementation of the partnership.
Also present were Mr Kwasi Tweneboa Kodua, Chairman of the WIUC Ghana Board; Justice Isaac Douse, Council Chairman; Dr Lawrence Kannae, President of WIUC Ghana; Mr Nii Amasah Dgamie, Internal Auditor; deans, faculty members, administrative staff and other invited guests.
The inauguration of the Joint Steering Committee marks an important milestone in the evolving partnership between WIUC-Ghana and Riphah International University and sets the stage for deeper academic engagement, innovation and international collaboration between the two institutions.
