Mahama Calls for Stronger University-Industry Partnerships

President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the need for Ghana to strengthen ties between universities and industry, expand applied learning, and invest in life sciences during his working visit to Singapore.

Following his opening keynote at the Africa Singapore Business Forum, Mahama toured the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Biopolis, Singapore’s biomedical research hub. He said the models he observed could help Ghana strengthen its higher education system, expand innovation, and align research with job creation.

At SIT, Mahama observed the university’s applied-learning approach, which combines work and study, fosters close collaboration with industry, and emphasizes research that delivers tangible business impact. He described the institution’s Punggol Digital District campus as a model of how academia, industry, and community can be aligned to prepare graduates for the future of work.

He also visited Biopolis, where public and private institutions collaborate across the entire life-sciences research and development value chain, from basic scientific discovery to clinical development and medical technology. Mahama said the hub demonstrated how coordinated public–private collaboration can accelerate innovation and drive economic growth.

Reflecting on lessons for Ghana, Mahama emphasized the importance of:

• Deepening university–industry collaboration to make graduates more work-ready.
  
• Expanding applied learning, internships, and programs aligned with national priorities.
  
• Strengthening public–private partnerships in life sciences and biotechnology.
  
• Focusing research on solutions that create jobs and improve lives.
  

He noted that this vision builds on efforts initiated by then-Minister of Education, Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who began aligning Ghana’s higher education system with industry needs.

“We are grateful to our hosts at SIT and Biopolis for the insightful exchanges,” Mahama said. “We look forward to building partnerships that will help accelerate Ghana’s progress in higher education, innovation and healthcare.”

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