Imperial opens hub in Ghana with a commitment to boost scientific collaboration

Imperial has opened a hub in Ghana with a commitment to boost scientific collaboration as it launches new fellowships in AI and Climate Science.

• Imperial – the leading global science, technology and business university – opens its first African hub in Accra, becoming the first UK university to have a permanent base solely focused on science and technology in Africa.
• Launching the hub with representatives from the groundbreaking UNDP Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, academic leaders and investors, Imperial President Hugh Brady pledged more academic collaboration in cutting edge science and deep tech, alongside increased access to enterprise support and capital to help drive commercial breakthroughs.
• On day one, Imperial is announcing the hub will support fellowships in applications of AI, bringing the Imperial-Schmidt AI Fellows Programme to West Africa, and running a high-impact global fellow network in urban health and climate resilience.

Imperial Global Ghana has launched in Accra with a commitment to support hundreds of academics and entrepreneurs in West Africa by strengthening collaboration on research, technology, education and entrepreneurship between West Africa and the UK.

The hub builds on Imperial’s established partnerships in the region, including in medical diagnostics, vaccine research, AI and data science, climate science, sustainable cities and entrepreneurship training.

The hub was launched at an event hosted by the British High Commission, alongside leadership from the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation, academic leaders and investors.

The Timbuktoo initiative is promoted by the UNDP; a fund with a billion-dollar target to support innovators within the African startup ecosystem. By working to support this initiative, alongside other African funds and partners, Imperial Global Ghana will support the rapid commercialisation of scientific breakthroughs made in Africa, so they reach those who will benefit.

This new hub builds on a rapid increase in the number of scientific advancements and breakthroughs by researchers from Imperial working with scientists in Ghana in recent years, with the number of joint research publications growing from around one per month in 2019 to more than one per week in 2023.

On the day the hub opens, Imperial Global Ghana is launching new fellowship schemes:

• The Imperial-Schmidt AI Fellows Programme will begin with support for early career researchers from the University of Ghana and the African Institute of Mathematical Science (AIMS) to collaborate with Imperial’s IX Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in science in London, United Kingdom. Funded by Schmidt Sciences, it will assist talented researchers to use AI in their scientific research, while building sustained local capacity at their home institutions. The Imperial-Ghana AI Fellows will join a cohort of global fellows with counterparts from India, Brazil and Malaysia.
   
• The African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS)-Imperial Global Fellows Programme will see 40 doctoral researchers working together in Accra to develop professional, research, and collaborative skills to tackle climate change and the challenges associated with rapid urbanisation.

Speaking at the launch event at the British High Commission in Accra, Imperial’s President Professor Hugh Brady said: “Imperial’s new Ghana Hub builds on a strong foundation of collaboration between Imperial and the University of Ghana in medical diagnostics, vaccine research, future cities and entrepreneurship training. It will further strengthen and scale up our research and innovation partnerships in West Africa.

“The focus on AI, enabled by generous funding from the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI for Science Programme, is especially exciting and will see Imperial collaborate with the University of Ghana and African Institute of Mathematical Sciences to develop new tools and applications to drive key economic growth sectors, better healthcare outcomes and more efficient and responsive public services.” 

Hon. MESTI (Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation) Minister, Ophelia Mensah-Hayford (MP) said: “The choice of Ghana as one of Imperial’s new global hubs for research and innovation is a testament to our renewed partnership with the British Government for Science, Technology, and Innovation. 

“With its enviable position in global university rankings and entrepreneurship, there is no doubt this collaboration will make Ghana one of the best technology and innovation clusters in the Sub Region.” 

Natalie Jabangwe, Executive Secretary of the Timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation said: “As a proud alumna, Imperial was incredibly important in shaping my career development, particularly in helping me to create one of the largest Fintechs in Africa.  I believe that Imperial Global Ghana is a game changer on the Continent for the skills transfer of its world class education”.

Harriet Thompson, British High Commissioner to Ghana, said: “I’m delighted that Imperial College London, a world-leading university, has chosen Ghana for its first hub in Africa, one of only four globally. It’s a sound choice, building on already excellent collaboration with the University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast and KNUST.

“This epitomises the strong education connections the UK and Ghana share.  With ever more British higher education institutions operating in Ghana, we hope to build a transnational education partnership to create yet more opportunities for Ghanaian students.

“Together, the UK and Ghana are helping the entrepreneurs and scientists of the future turn their ideas into reality. That’s good for economic growth in Ghana and in the UK”.

UK Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said: “It is excellent to see Imperial College London opening a hub in Ghana, ensuring both countries benefit from shared expertise and opening up opportunities for talent across the region, while deepening the UK’s ties with one of the leading nations for R&D in Africa.”

Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said: “The Continent of Africa, home to the world’s youngest population, is a vibrant epicentre of grassroots innovation. Complementing initiatives like the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Accelerator Labs Network, the Timbuktoo Initiative, and our University Innovation Pods (UniPods), Imperial College London’s new science and technology hub in Ghana can further unlock this vast potential, fueling a startup ecosystem that is key to making breakthroughs across the Sustainable Development Goals -- everything from driving job creation to advancing climate action and safeguarding our natural world."

K.Y. Amoako, Founder & President Emeritus, African Center for Economic Transformation, said: “Imperial is a world-leading university renowned for science and innovation, and I welcome their commitment to strengthening partnerships with African partners to address both regional and global challenges. With West Africa’s extraordinary human talent and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, the region stands to gain significantly from Imperial’s active presence in the region. I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will bring.”

The Rt Hon The Lord Boateng CVO President of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Africasaid: “Equitable and mutually beneficial Research links are central to the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. This partnership between Imperial and Ghana is a landmark first in the relationship between the two countries and marks an important step forward in the delivery of the SDGs on the continent as a whole”.

Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee and Co-Chair Africa APPG: “Collaboration and the exchange of ideas is an important part of scientific advancement so I am pleased  to see Imperial’s new hub in Ghana supporting partnerships in cutting edge fields such as AI and climate science to  give more opportunities to researchers, both in the UK and Ghana, to work together and ultimately drive positive global impact. The Hub has the potential to boost deep tech and scientific research and drive the benefits of new discoveries and commercialisation opportunities in West Africa."

Lord Oates Co-Chair Africa the UK Parliament’s APPG said:"The establishment of Imperial’s new science and technology hub in Ghana, is an exciting moment for collaboration and partnership that I hope will be an increasing feature of UK relations with the continent. There is much that we can learn from each other and much we can achieve together - Imperial’s hub has a key role to play in that scientific and technological engagement."

Professor Majid Ezzati, currently Imperial’s Professor of Global Environmental Health, has been appointed Academic Director of Imperial Global Ghana.

The UK and Ghana have jointly developed the UK-Ghana Science Technology & Innovation Strategy, which aims to increase the number, quality and impact of partnerships between the UK and Ghana.

Imperial Global Ghana will bridge the Ghanaian and West African innovation ecosystem with London and provide further opportunities for collaboration via Imperial’s new hubs in San Francisco, Singapore and India.

This article was first published on 14 November by Imperial College London.