The Deans and Faculty Heads of the University for Development Studies (UDS) have held a significant meeting with the President of Winnipeg University in Canada and the Canadian High Commission in Ghana aimed at deepening their earlier MOU signed to exchange ideas to improve academic excellence.

High among some of the issues discussed was the need for the two institutions to understand each other better in areas of academic expertise so as to be able to collaborate in research, connecting theory with practice through direct involvement in community development initiatives and exchange of students for master’s degrees in development oriented fields.

Professor Haruna Yakubu, Vice Chancellor for the University for Development Studies, said the University was outstanding in its academic activities particularly agriculture, saying “we have the best Agriculture faculty in the country that no other university can equal”.

He said the university was situated in a very interesting climatic condition, akin to that of the Winnipeg University, adding that "when it comes to dry season, we experience it harder and during raining season too, flood sets in, so we are in a similar environment like yours".

Prof. Yakubu said the trimester programme of the school where students were expected to visit their communities to gather data had improved the university’s relation with its surrounding communities, adding that data gathered could be used to develop those areas.

He said a key area of their commitment with the Winnipeg University was to work together to establish a joint capacity to manage and implement development projects in Northern Ghana to enable students and faculties to put theory into practice to enhance academic learning.

Dr. Lioyd Axworthy, President of the Winnipeg University, said Winnipeg was located in a strategic part of Canada and had developed unique and innovative paradigms that shared knowledge in various satellite campuses across the globe to improve lives.

He said Winnipeg would collaborate with UDS in areas of student exchange, professional and academic development of lecturers using practical research experiences in indigenous development focusing on agriculture and climate change.

Madam Trudy Kernighan, Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, said education globally was evolving using innovative approaches in solving problems, and said Ghana was not an exception and must embrace such ideas.

She said there was the need for the country to prepare the youth qualitatively to adequately deal with the challenges of development.**