In an inspiring address at the 14th Global Biennial Congress and Alumni Homecoming, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, made a passionate call to the global alumni network of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Speaking under the theme “KNUST Day to Global Eminence: The Transformative Role of Alumni,” the Minister, herself a proud KNUST alumna, challenged graduates to leverage their technical expertise, formidable professional networks, and strategic resources to accelerate Ghana’s industrial transformation.
“The question before us is not whether KNUST has earned eminence. The question is, what will the alumni now do with it?”, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare quizzed.
Historical Legacy:
Founded in 1951 as the Kumasi College of Technology before attaining full university status in 1961, KNUST was established as West Africa’s premier institution for science, technology, and engineering.
Originally conceived to train the high-caliber manpower required to drive post-independence national infrastructure, the university has long been the backbone of Ghana’s technical development.
Highlighting this historical legacy, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare noted that KNUST’s history is inextricably linked with Ghana’s industrial growth.
While acknowledging the monumental contributions of alumni across engineering, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, and entrepreneurship, she stressed that modern economic demands require a far stronger synergy between academia, industry, and government (the “Triple Helix” model).
Key strategic areas identified for alumni-driven collaboration include:
Agro-Processing:
Converting raw agricultural yields into competitive, market-ready goods to support national food security and export growth.
Tech Transfer & Commercialization:
Bridging the gap between cutting-edge university research and scalable commercial products.
Mentorship & Capital Investment: Providing direct practical training, venture funding, incubator access, and international market entry for promising student-led innovations.
Leadership Imperatives:
Expanding Infrastructure and Access
The executive leadership of the university and the global alumni network echoed the Minister’s sentiments, emphasizing concrete action over celebration.
Research and Student Welfare:
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christian Agyare, outlined the university’s ambitious agenda toward achieving top-tier global research standing. He called on alumni to directly intervene in two critical areas:
Completing Campus Infrastructure:
Accelerating support to complete the ongoing Alumni Hostel Project to relieve acute student accommodation shortages and enhance campus life.
Securing Inclusive Education: Establishing robust financial aid systems to ensure talented but underprivileged students are not forced to abandon their academic pursuits due to financial hardship.
“Let us move beyond promises to action, beyond nostalgia to investment, and beyond celebrating our legacy to actively building it”, Prof. Agyare stated.
Culture of Philanthropy:
The President of the KNUST Global Alumni Association, Dr. Herman Yobo Addae, urged members to institutionalize a sustainable culture of giving.
He highlighted the creation of a dedicated Alumni Endowment Fund designed to provide long-term seed funding for transformative research, state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure, and student scholarships.
Article By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi.
