The Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Mr Franklin Cudjoe, has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor.
The visit, which took place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, sought to explore collaborative opportunities aimed at deepening students’ understanding of policy issues while providing them with practical exposure to real-time policy
processes.
Discussions also focused on bridging academia and civil society through a suite of student engagement initiatives designed to connect classroom theory with practice—ensuring that UPSA graduates emerge both intellectually grounded and professionally effective in the world of work.
Welcoming the IMANI delegation, Professor Mawutor reiterated his five-priority agenda for transforming higher education in Ghana.
These priorities, he explained, include leveraging information technology, building strategic partnerships, promoting interdisciplinary research, advancing entrepreneurship, innovation and volunteerism, and upholding, protecting, and enhancing the culture and brand of the University.
He further emphasised the importance of grounding students in Ghana’s economic history to strengthen their critical thinking skills and enhance their engagement with contemporary policy issues.
A key highlight of the meeting was IMANI’s proposal for UPSA to co-host the 2026 edition of the Student and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA).
The seminar aims to bring together students and young professionals for in-depth discussions with experts and academics on governance, economics, and technology.
The Vice-Chancellor affirmed UPSA’s commitment to jointly host the conference, scheduled for early next year.
“This event will provide an academic platform where scholarship meets practical policy discourse,” Prof. Mawutor stated.
He added that once formalised, the collaboration would be anchored through UPSA’s Centre for Public Accountability (CPA)—a centre established in 2014 to promote transparency and accountability in public sector management across Ghana and Africa.
The partnership is expected to see CPA and IMANI roll out a series of programs, including public lectures, masterclasses, and policy clinics, drawing on IMANI’s network of research fellows and practitioners to promote thought leadership, skills transfer, and mentorship.
For his part, Mr. Cudjoe welcomed the partnership and expressed IMANI’s readiness to support UPSA with expertise and access to live policy work.
“By pairing the University’s academic rigour with the think tank’s on-the-ground experience, we can create learning pathways that give students a front-row seat to policy development and impact,” Mr. Cudjoe remarked.
He added that IMANI and UPSA are expected to develop a year-long policy engagement calendar that integrates guest lectures, policy labs, and applied projects into the student learning experience.
