The Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), Dr Margaret Wekem Kukeba, says the university’s research must go beyond academic recognition and translate into practical solutions to challenges facing the Upper East Region.
Dr Kukeba said while UTAS is proud of the growing recognition of its research, rankings and publications should not be treated as an end in themselves.
“We are looking at how to translate that to transformative impact that can support our region. We are looking at how we can translate our research so that we can solve the problems that are here,” she said.
Speaking on A1 Radio during a discussion on “The Future of Science and Technology Education in the Upper East Region: The Role of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences,” Dr Kukeba said research should respond directly to challenges in health, agriculture, technology and other sectors.
She cited disease surveillance, public health, agriculture, Geographic Information Systems, computing and cybersecurity as areas where expertise within the university could be applied to regional problems.
Dr Kukeba said the university’s research performance demonstrates the scientific expertise available within the institution, but the greater challenge is converting that knowledge into technologies, skills and interventions that improve people’s lives.
She said this would require universities to move beyond publishing research to developing technologies, building technical capacity and supporting the practical application of scientific knowledge.
Dr Kukeba also raised concerns about the ability of Ghanaian scientists to apply skills acquired through advanced training when they return to institutions without the necessary equipment.
“We have the potential. But unfortunately, we finish learning that, and we come back and we do not have the equipment,” she said.
She pointed to the Upper East Region’s mineral resources, including gold, as an area where stronger scientific capacity and appropriate equipment could enable local expertise to play a greater role in exploration and development.
According to Dr Kukeba, UTAS has begun developing expertise in geology, but further investment in scientific infrastructure would be required to maximise the potential of such programmes.
She therefore called on the government, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to support universities with the equipment, resources and partnerships needed to strengthen research and innovation.
“For science, it’s very critical to our development… It’s now left with how we can actually all put our hands on deck,” she said.
Dr Kukeba said stronger collaboration between universities, government and industry could help turn research into practical solutions and enable UTAS to contribute more directly to the development of the Upper East Region.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
