The Jospong Group, in partnership with Russia’s RUDN University, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer scholarships to 600 Ghanaian students. The scholarships will enable students to pursue master’s degrees in agribusiness, solid waste management, and climate change. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry, promote knowledge transfer, and equip young Ghanaians with the necessary skills to address key challenges in the country’s agriculture sector.
Under the agreement, the first batch of 120 students from various Ghanaian tertiary institutions will travel to RUDN University in Russia to undertake a two-year program. The signing ceremony took place in Accra, in the presence of high-ranking officials such as the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and the Ministers of Education and Sanitation and Water Resources.
The partnership not only aims to provide educational opportunities but also plans to support a further 20% of the beneficiary students in acquiring PhDs at RUDN University. This will empower these students to contribute to the advancement of their fields and drive meaningful change in Ghana.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, lauded the agreement, expressing his optimism about its potential impact. He urged the Jospong Group to work closely with relevant parliamentary committees to ensure the successful implementation of the partnership.
Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, emphasized the significance of the scholarship program in line with the group’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s industrial agricultural sector. He mentioned that by addressing challenges such as post-harvest losses, scholarship beneficiaries could play a pivotal role in enhancing the agricultural sector. Dr. Agyepong assured the students that the Jospong Group would provide them with the necessary support and infrastructure upon their return to Ghana.
Dr. Masamba Kah, the Industrial-Educational Partnership Coordinator for Russia-Africa at RUDN University, expressed the university’s eagerness to equip Ghanaian students with the skills required to address developmental challenges across various sectors. He highlighted the importance of jointly envisioning a prosperous future through this partnership.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Ghana’s Minister of Education, commended the collaboration for supplementing the government’s efforts to develop human capacity and contribute to national progress. He encouraged the scholarship recipients to seize this opportunity and return to Ghana to help grow the agriculture sector.
The partnership between the Jospong Group and RUDN University holds great promise for the future of Ghana’s agriculture industry. By providing educational opportunities and fostering knowledge transfer, it aims to build a skilled workforce capable of tackling the country’s agricultural challenges. With the support of government officials, the Jospong Group is poised to drive the successful implementation of the program and make significant contributions to Ghana’s agricultural development.