Senior Lecturer in Applied Sociology at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Dr Ummu Markwei, has been selected as a Takemi Fellow in International Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Dr Markwei was selected following a highly competitive international process that brings together a small number of accomplished global health professionals and scholars committed to addressing critical health challenges, advancing health equity and developing innovative solutions to improve health outcomes.
Her selection signifies an important milestone in her academic career and acknowledges her extensive contributions to research and practice in children’s rights, gender, social inclusion, sexual violence, and public health.
Dr Markwei, who is an experienced academic, researcher and social inclusion specialist, has more than 15 years of experience in research, teaching, training and consultancy.
She is also a former Head of the Department of Business Administration at UPSA.
As part of the year-long fellowship, Dr Markwei will investigate adolescents’ strategies for navigating HIV risk in minority communities in Ghana.
Her research will explore how adolescents in minority communities perceive and respond to HIV risk, with particular attention to the social realities and vulnerabilities that shape their experiences.
The study will also examine protective strategies, stigma and access to support.
The research is expected to contribute to a more profound understanding of the factors influencing HIV-related experiences among young people in marginalised communities and potentially inform interventions, policy and practice.
The Takemi Fellowship will also provide Dr Markwei with opportunities to work alongside distinguished scholars and Fellows from around the world, participate in academic seminars and lectures, and leverage Harvard University’s extensive intellectual and research resources.
Reflecting on her selection, Dr Markwei described the fellowship as both an honour and an opportunity to advance research that addresses the needs of vulnerable populations.
“I am deeply honoured and grateful to have been selected as a Takemi Fellow,” Dr Markwei said. “I see this opportunity not only as recognition of my work, but also as a platform to deepen my research, learn from some of the finest minds in global health, and contribute to solutions that can improve the lives of vulnerable populations.”
For UPSA, her achievement further highlights the University’s contribution to research and scholarship addressing pressing social and public health challenges.
Dr Markwei is expected to return from the fellowship with enhanced research capacity, strengthened international collaborations and new knowledge that can contribute to research, policy and practice in Ghana and beyond.
The Harvard Takemi Program is internationally recognised for bringing together professionals and scholars to examine complex health challenges and develop knowledge and approaches that can promote healthier and more equitable societies.
