UG holds symposium to mark 2024 International Celebration week
The University of Ghana (UG), Legon, has held an International symposium as part of its 2024 International Week Celebrations (iWeek) in Accra, to discuss and explore innovative strategies for promoting greater equity and inclusivity in international education initiatives.
Organised by International Programme Office of the university, the event was on the theme; “Rethinking Internationalisation in Africa: The Equity Question.”
The symposium was preceded with the launch of the Study Abroad Fair, a two-day fair that brought together representatives from 50 Universities across 30 countries.
Speaking at the symposium, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, whose speech was read on her behalf by the Director for Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Peter Kobina Taylor, emphasised that international cooperation and both bilateral and multilateral relationships were crucial for improving economic outcomes, achieving inclusive and equitable development, advancing economic regional integration, and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
She said the current global context necessitated “collaboration and partnerships” among nations to tackle global issues such as international peace and security, human insecurity, violent extremism, maritime piracy, climate change, and various economic challenges.
The Minister noted that the symposium’s theme was highly pertinent given the geopolitical tensions in different regions, and the international community’s efforts to resolve the adverse political and economic conditions impacting many countries, including Ghana.
She explained that their involvement in the event aligns with their policy and public diplomacy, aimed at forming strategic partnerships with educational institutions, think tanks, academia, civil society organisations, and private sector entities.
Ms Botchwey added that Ghana had consistently played an active role on the international stage, committed to the principles of multilateralism and the shared values of democratic governance and economic development.
“It is my expectation that your discussions will deepen our understanding of internationalization concerning educational, technological, and cultural exchanges, and support the mission of the African Union’s Agenda 2023 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
The Dean of International Programmes at the University of Ghana, Professor Eric Osei-Assibey, stated that universities in both the global North and South, especially in Africa, encountered varying circumstances, including differences in culture, resources, institutional capacities, and ideologies.
He noted that these disparities might influence how institutions collaborate on internationalisation efforts, often leading to imbalanced partnerships where the benefits were typically skewed in favour of one side.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA
