Technical universities central to Ghana’s 21st century economy-Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has described technical universities as central to Ghana’s efforts to build a competitive 21st-century economy, stressing the need for stronger emphasis on applied research and innovation-driven education.
Speaking at an Applied Research Conference, Mr. Mahama said the changing demands of the modern economy require Ghana to move beyond excessive dependence on theoretical scholarship and place equal focus on practical research that addresses real societal and industrial challenges.
According to him, technical universities hold a unique and strategic position within Ghana’s educational framework because they connect education with industry, innovation with production, and research with enterprise development.
“Our technical universities occupy a distinctive and strategic place within Ghana’s education architecture. They stand at the intersection of education and industry, of innovation and production, and of research and enterprise,” he stated.
Mr. Mahama noted that the future of Ghana would increasingly depend on institutions capable of developing technologies, improving production systems, supporting industrial growth, stimulating entrepreneurship, and equipping young people with employable and adaptable skills.
He said the Applied Research Conference has become more than an academic gathering, evolving into an important national platform for discussions on innovation, industrialisation, technology transfer, and enterprise development.
“This gathering therefore goes beyond academics. It is now part of the national conversation about how Ghana can build a competitive economy in the 21st century,” he said.
The President further emphasized that applied research should no longer remain isolated from the productive sectors of the economy.
“Applied research can no longer remain a specialised academic exercise conducted in isolation from the productive sectors of the economy. Applied research must become a central pillar of national economic policy,” Mr. Mahama stressed.
