ACADEMIA-INDUSTRY MUST COLLABORATE TO CREATE CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR GRADUATES TO UNLEASH THEIR POTENTIAL – COA CEO.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited, Professor Samuel Ato Duncan has noted that it is time for Academia and Industry to move beyond the talks and give meaning to” Academia-Industry collaboration” in order to “create a conducive environment for graduates to unleash their potentials.”

In a speech delivered on his behalf by Dr. Richard Nsiah-Agyemang, Administrator of the COA-RMCL at the 19^th Congregation of the Cape Coast Technical University on Saturday, April 29^th, 2023, Professor Duncan noted that with the increasing number of enrolments in university education in Ghana, there is the need for both Academia and Industry to partner in producing graduates who are smart, innovative and critical thinkers to identify opportunities and help improve their existing work environments.

He said, the inability of industry to rely on research as a vehicle to forecast the future is a deficit in our pursuit of development and growth. Recounting the successes of developed countries, Professor Duncan noted that through research some years back, they were able to foresee the challenges of today specifically in the automobile industry relative to the use of gasoline. The influx of electric cars on the market today in developed countries was a result of their ability to rely on researchers and innovative minds.

He observed that even now, researchers and academia in developed countries are using research to identify probable challenges in the future, propound solutions, and work with industry to make these solutions available to the public. This, according to him, also creates jobs for the people.

He applauded the Vice-Chancellor of CCTU and his Academic Board for their innovativeness in introducing programs that have a bearing on industry.

In his report, the Vice Chancellor of the Cape Coast Technical University, RT. Rev. Professor Joshua Danso Owusu Sekyere acknowledged the support of COA-RMCL over the years to the school. He said COA-RMCL under the leadership of Professor Duncan has committed funds towards the implementation of the 5-year strategic plan of the CCTU which was launched in 2022. He said Professor Duncan has also through the Students Representative Council of the University provided street lights on campus.

He thanked the company for its continuous support of the University.

The COA-RMCL provided two refrigerators as prizes for the Best BTECH graduate and the Best HND graduate.  Dubbed the Professor Ato Duncan Award, Rita Akua Aboagye and Abilgah Thomas were the recipients for this year’s prize.