GCTU Collaborates With MEST And 2nd Generation Information Technology Institute
GCTU has once again made further partnership strides by signing two separate MoUs with Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) and 2nd Generation IT Institute on Tuesday, 30th April 2024.
The partnership agreements were designed to create platforms to enhance students’ internship/skills training by way of improving student experiences at GCTU.
At the MoU signing between GCTU and MEST, the Managing Director of MEST, Mr. Ashwin Ravichandran established the alignment of MEST’s goals with that of GCTU. “We have a one year curriculum, which is designed with business communication and technology as the base,” he said. Mr. Ravichandran highlighted the support MEST has given to some Ghanaian entrepreneurs, mentioning successful startups like Meqasa.com, a real estate website and TrotroTractor, an Agri-Tech company. He added that the programme focuses on software skills for students and job creation with over 2000 people who have been trained in the last 15 years.
Mr. Ravichandran indicated MEST’s readiness to host GCTU representatives for a campus visit to showcase student projects and ideas assembled.
In his response, the Vice–Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, expressed his profound gratitude to MEST for the partnership. He described the MoU as a very good opportunity for the two institutions to further the skills development mandate for churning out skilled graduates.
He said, “GCTU has a similar mandate and objective just like MEST and I believe that you won’t get any institution in Ghana that aligns so much with your core mandate than us.” The VC encouraged MEST to collaborate to explore opportunities in their respective entrepreneurship/innovation hubs.
Prof. Afoakwa highlighted how GCTU had transitioned from a private institution to a fully-fledged public university by an Act of Parliament with a special mandate in the area of ICT. “Over 80 percent of our students are in ICT and we have the track record of producing skilled graduates,” he said.
It is an IT and Entrepreneurial institution which provides a real-world advantage for young aspiring and established African entrepreneurs with skills, mentorship, unparalleled opportunities and experiences through funding, business incubation, and access to a global tech network.
In a related development, GCTU signed a second MoU with 2nd Generation IT Institute, a firm which provides career support to help students succeed in their chosen IT paths.
During the signing event, the CEO/Director, Mr. Fernard Kodzo Asamoah, extended his profound appreciation to the VC and Management for the partnership. He said, “I want to expand and I said to myself, GCTU is the best University to partner with and I am here.” He indicated that there are smart and great students, but unfortunately, they lack hands-on experience. Mr. Asamoah emphasized that GCTU has the facilities in the area of ICT and his institution needs to collaborate with GCTU to provide professional development, internship and job opportunities for graduates of the two institutions.
In his brief remarks, the VC said, “We are happy for this partnership, we are a university of call when it comes to ICT training in Ghana, with the human capital needs for digitalization.” Prof. Afoakwa observed that since both institutions shared a common mandate, both would have a long-term relationship that would lead to the training of the manpower that Ghana so badly needs.
The VC signed the two MoUs on behalf of GCTU, while Mr. Ravichandran and Mr. Asamoah signed for their respective institutions.
The Industrial Liaison Office whose responsibility it is to source for opportunities from industry to enhance students’ practical training programmes, was heavily involved with the negotiations that engendered the MoUs.
