We must deepen university–industry collaboration – Mahama After visit to Singapore Institute of Technology

President John Dramani Mahama has underscored the importance of closer collaboration between universities and industry to prepare graduates for the future of work.

Speaking after his visit to the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) on Tuesday, following his opening keynote at the Africa Singapore Business Forum, President Mahama said Ghana must continue to pursue applied learning and stronger public–private partnerships in education and research.

“Key takeaways for me were the need to deepen university–industry collaboration to make graduates more work-ready and future-ready… the need to encourage applied learning, internships, and programmes tied to national priorities; strengthen public–private partnerships in life sciences and biotechnology; and focus research on solutions that create jobs and improve lives,” he stated.

At SIT, John Mahama learned about the institution’s applied-learning model, which integrates work and study, fosters industry collaboration, and emphasises applied research with direct business impact. He noted that SIT’s new campus within the Punggol Digital District “exemplifies how academia, industry and the community can be tightly integrated to prepare students for the future of work.”

The president also toured Biopolis, a premier biomedical research hub in Singapore, describing it as “a showcase of how coordinated public–private collaboration can drive innovation and economic growth.”

Mahama further recalled that Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, during her tenure as Minister for Education, initiated steps to bridge the gap between academia and industry, an effort he stressed must be sustained.

“We are grateful to our hosts at SIT and Biopolis for the insightful exchanges. We look forward to building partnerships that will help accelerate Ghana’s progress in higher education, innovation and healthcare,” he concluded.