GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (GIMPA)
By Joyce Boahemaa Fosu
The 6th edition of the annual “Ghana-France Higher Education and Research Conference,” organised by the Embassy of France in Ghana and Campus France Ghana, opened from February 5th to 9th, 2024. The conference served as a pivotal platform for intellectual discourse, fostering collaboration among institutions and advancing the pursuit of knowledge.
Commencing on Monday, February 5th, 2024, the opening took place at the Greenhill Campus of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), specifically at the Moot Court, Faculty of Law. GIMPA was honoured and thrilled to welcome nearly 200 participants from various tertiary institutions and organisations in and around Accra who eagerly registered to attend the opening session.
The participants were warmly greeted by the Deputy Rector of GIMPA, Dr. Augustina Akonnor, who expressed gratitude to the Embassy of France in Ghana and Campus France Ghana for selecting GIMPA as the host venue for the conference’s opening ceremony. “We remain profoundly grateful for these valued partnerships,” she affirmed.
Dr. Akonnor highlighted GIMPA’s longstanding collaborations with higher educational institutions in France over the past two decades. These partnerships, facilitated by academic exchange programmes initiated by the Embassy of France in Ghana and Campus France Ghana, have yielded mutual benefits for students of both GIMPA and France. Notably, mobility exchanges have enriched the academic experiences of students from both nations.
“Beyond student exchanges, there have been staff visits to various French institutions to explore partnership opportunities aimed at enhancing GIMPA’s programs,” Dr. Akonnor elaborated, citing the collaborative efforts between GIMPA and ESSEC to enhance and elevate the hospitality programme at GIMPA and collaboration with Sciences Po as noteworthy examples.
Encouraging representatives of higher education institutions present, Dr. Akonnor urged them to facilitate the participation of as many students and faculty members as possible in the four-day conference. The subsequent sessions were scheduled to continue at the Accra International Conference Centre the next day and conclude with two days in Kumasi.
In attendance, the Deputy Minister of Education, Reverend Ntim Fordjour, acknowledged the government of Ghana’s appreciation for the enduring partnerships with the French government, which had promoted French education in Ghana. He highlighted the collaborative efforts that have fostered cultural exchanges and educational cooperation between Ghana and francophone countries.
The French Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Jules-Armand Aniamboussou, reiterated France’s unwavering commitment to enhancing its partnership with Ghana in the realm of higher education and research. Similarly, Ms. Beatrice Khaiat, the Deputy Director of Campus France, Paris, emphasised the conference’s significance in exemplifying the potential and mutual interest of Ghana and France in cultivating educational, research, and scientific partnerships.
Among the attendees were the Secretary of the Institute, Dr. Victoria Kunbour, Deans, Directors, Faculty, and staff of GIMPA, underscoring the institution’s dedication to fostering global academic alliances.
Campus France, serving as the French government agency entrusted with promoting French higher education abroad, remains committed to nurturing international educational collaborations.
DIRECTORATE OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS & INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
