Dr. Apaak calls for impact-driven Ghana–Norway academic collaboration

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has urged stakeholders to prioritise results-oriented collaboration in Ghana–Norway academic partnerships.

Delivering remarks at the Ghana–Norway Academic Programme at the University of Ghana on Friday, Dr. Apaak stressed that partnerships in higher education must go beyond symbolic cooperation and produce tangible outcomes.

“We must move beyond collaboration for its own sake and pursue collaboration that delivers measurable impact,” he said, adding that such impact should improve livelihoods, strengthen institutions, and drive economic transformation.

He described the partnership between Ghana and Norway as both timely and necessary, particularly in the face of global challenges that require collective solutions rather than isolated efforts.

According to him, “no nation can develop sustainably without investing in knowledge, innovation, and human capital.”

Dr. Apaak pointed to ongoing initiatives such as NORHED and NOREC as evidence of what structured collaboration can achieve, noting that they have contributed to increased research output, the training of skilled professionals, and stronger institutional capacity.

“Through joint research in critical areas such as climate change, water resource management, public health, and coastal development, this partnership is producing solutions that directly address Ghana’s developmental priorities,” he said.

He further indicated that the collaboration has led to the creation of new postgraduate programmes and enhanced global visibility for Ghanaian institutions.

However, he emphasised the need to build on these gains.

“Moving forward, our focus must be on scaling these gains and ensuring that research outcomes translate into policy and practice,” Dr. Apaak noted.

The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening the partnership through increased support for research and innovation, closer alignment between academia and industry, and policies that promote knowledge transfer.

Highlighting the role of the youth, he said students and young researchers remain central to sustaining the partnership.

“They are not just beneficiaries of these programmes. They are the future leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers who will carry this partnership forward,” he stated.