A delegation from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has paid a field validation visit to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to assess the progress of the prestigious Ghana Pact for Skills project under the Entrepreneurship Stream, funded by the European Union (EU) and coordinated by E4Impact Foundation.
Thirteen (13) staff members of the University, led by Prof. Daniel Agyapong, had applied for the Ghana Pact for Skills project, which spans 2024 to 2027.
The Ghana Pact for Skills initiative seeks to reshape the trajectory of tertiary education by improving students’ transition into the job market. With a focus on green innovation, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship, this project will empower students and local communities through training, incubation, and business acceleration.
As part of the application process, a team from the UNCDF visited UCC to assess its facilities and capacity to host the project, including strategic plans, digital infrastructure portfolios, faculty profiles, and evidence of entrepreneurial readiness.
The immediate past Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, who gave an overview of the UCC Project titled: “Empowering Learners for Employability and Vocational Advancement”, said the Green Employability Enhancement Programme has the acronym, ELEVATE (Empowering Learners and Vocational Advancement through Training and Education).
“ELEVATE bridges the gap between academia and industry through digital skills, career readiness, and inclusive employability support. We aim to provide solutions to graduate unemployment and skills mismatch in Ghana. Digital and green economy readiness, and equity and inclusion for women, and students with disabilities,” she noted.
Prof. Rosemond Boohene
Among others, Prof. Boohene mentioned key deliverables, including digital and green skills training, career development and employability services, and strengthened academia-industry collaboration.
She said the Project would align with national and donor goals (SDG 8 and 9), build on existing capacity and proven models of UCC, and top management support and commitment.
She said UCC had the capacity to implement the project with its existing digital infrastructure, such as Flexlab, D-Hub, Counselling Centre, among others.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Lead of UNCDF, Sangvoung Jung, in his remark, said the team was impressed with the stage UCC had achieved in the Ghana Pact for Skills project and urged the UCC team not to relent in its efforts.
Mr. Sangvoung Jung, along with other members of his delegation, used the opportunity to ask questions regarding the capacity of UCC to execute the Project.
The delegation was taken on a tour of the University to see at first hand some of the facilities the UCC team would use to execute the project after winning.
The Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof. Martins Ekor, who chaired the meeting, said the Ghana Pact for Skills project resonated with the strategic vision of UCC on advancing skills to achieve the SDGs.
“A project that UCC is committed to supporting in its entirety through empowering our students, inclusive growth and impactful change in our society. So, we will deploy all resources to make sure UCC wins the Project,” he added.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC