From George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Special Correspondent in Plyzen, Czech Republic

Plyzen, Nov. 12, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursd= ay opened the floodgate for Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technolo= gy (KNUST), to begin an exchange programme in West Bohemia University, also known as Plyzen University in the Czech Republic.

He said the establishment of the programme would facilitate the academic work of Ghanaian mechanical and engineering students in Plyzen University, acknowledged globally as one of the best engineering academic=

entity. Vice President clenched the deal during a meeting with the universit= y authorities, as part of his official visit to the Eastern European countr= y. He pleaded with the university authorities to support Ghanaian stude= nts to research into agriculture and food security, roads and infrastructural=

development projects.

Vice President Mahama said the exchange programme would provide jobs=

for the students upon completion of their courses and provide Ghana with the necessary human resources to speed up socio-economic development. Dr Josef Prusa, Rector of the university mentioned Applied Sciences,=

Economics, Electrical Engineering, Philosophy and Arts, Education, Law, Mechanical Engineering, and Art and Design as the major faculties that ar= e operational at the school. He said Ghana would be the second country the university would partn= er apart from South Africa.