The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has officially opened its maiden Innovation Week, creating a new platform to connect academic knowledge with enterprise, policy and practical solutions to national challenges. The six-day programme commenced on Monday, 17 August 2026, at the PCU Auditorium, UPSA, under the theme, “From Ideas to Impact: Bridging the Gap between Academia and Industry through Innovation.”
Speaking at the official launch, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, called on universities to move beyond the production of knowledge and place greater emphasis on translating scholarship into enterprise, policy and measurable social value.
He noted that the rapidly changing realities of artificial intelligence, digital transformation and the economy demand a more responsive model of higher education in which research and teaching are deliberately connected to the needs of industry and society.
Prof. Mawutor said UPSA Innovation Week represents the University’s commitment to closing the gap between what is known in academia and what is applied in the real world. He stressed that innovation must ultimately be judged by its ability to solve problems, improve institutions and create meaningful value for society.
The Innovation Week brings together students, faculty, administrative and professional staff, industry players, regulators, development partners and the wider public. It will showcase interdisciplinary research, faculty-led innovation, institutional improvement proposals and technology-enabled solutions while strengthening opportunities for collaboration between the University and industry.
Activities earmarked for the week include three Faculty Masterclasses from Tuesday, 18 August to Thursday, 20 August, focusing on interdisciplinary research, grant writing, artificial intelligence, contemporary teaching methods, scholarly visibility and the translation of research into enterprise, policy and societal value.
A major highlight will be UPSA Innovation Day on Friday, 21 August, at the Kofi Ohene Konadu Auditorium. The programme will feature the Interdisciplinary Research Pitch Competition, where shortlisted student teams and faculty will present practical solutions before companies, banks, regulators and development partners, with opportunities for promising ideas to attract adoption, incubation, partnership and investment.
The competing teams form part of UPSA’s pioneer interdisciplinary research cohort, which brings students from different academic disciplines together to address real problems through integrated business, technology, legal and management perspectives.
The week will conclude on Saturday, 22 August, with Family Day at the Rev. J. K. Antwi Astro Turf under the theme, “One UPSA, One Community.”
