Professor Samuel Adu Gyamfi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences has underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing real-world challenges. He made this statement when a delegation from the BRIDGE Project paid a courtesy visit to the Provost to discuss collaboration between the College and other departments.
Professor Adu Gyamfi said collaboration across diverse academic departments reflects the kind of unity required for research to deliver tangible benefits beyond the university. He expressed confidence in the successful implementation of the €2 million European Union-funded research call, West African Climate Services Research, and thanked the BRIDGE team for selecting the College as a key partner.
“This initiative is very timely and impactful for communities beyond the university and we are grateful to be selected as a key partner,” he said.
The Vice Dean of the College of Art and Built Environment, Professor Charles Peprah highlighted the project’s relevance to design, planning and community-focused development. He revealed that initiatives such as BRIDGE create opportunities for academic expertise in the built environment to directly influence livelihoods and local development outcomes. He assured the delegation of the College’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the project.
Professor Divine Ahiadzi, the Ghana Project Coordinator said the project is anchored in partnership, innovation and sustained engagement, with a focus on ensuring that academic research translates into practical benefits for communities. He added that the Ghana component would prioritise inclusivity and long-term impact.
Dr. Bruno Arich-Gerz, BRIDGE Project Manager from RWTH Aachen University said multiple departments are actively involved in the project, each contributing specialised expertise to support its rollout. He acknowledged the extensive effort invested in developing the project and announced that engagements would continue in the Volta Region as part of ongoing stakeholder consultations.
As part of the project’s capacity-building efforts, 22 academic staff from KNUST’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Built Environment have participated in workshops at RWTH Aachen University, covering water resources management, philosophical perspectives on floods and religion, and the use of open educational resources and massive open online courses. Seven PhD students from the two faculties also completed three-month research placements in Germany, describing the experience as significant to their academic and professional development.