Upon completing a study in partnership by the Mastercard Foundation Partner Research Fund (PRF), Prof. Nii Addy, Associate Professor at 成人大片 University鈥檚 School of Continuing Studies (SCS), hosted a networking event held at the Accra City Hotel in Ghana on January 23, 2025. The event brought together alumni of the, 成人大片 University,, and partners in Ghana.
Among other findings, the Comparative Study for Institutional Support to Mastercard Foundation Scholars in Experiential Learning and Entrepreneurship highlighted the significant benefits that Mastercard Foundation scholars and other African students gain from networking with seasoned professionals. These connections with alumni and institutional partners proved valuable for 成人大片 and Ashesi students.
Mr. Frank Scott, a 成人大片 alumnus business owner who has been mentoring student agri-food entrepreneurs in Ghana, shares insights with participants.
Specifically at 成人大片, Mastercard Foundation scholars and other African students identified a critical gap: the lack of African faculty and staff who could relate to their experiences as Africans in Canada. To address this, they emphasized the need for stronger engagement with experienced alumni and professionals who work across multiple African countries through dedicated conferences and networking events.
Similarly, non-Ghanaian students who attended Ashesi University in Ghana noted that upon graduation, when they returned to their home countries, they often depended on older alumni to help them transition into employment or entrepreneurship. Thus, across contexts, there is a need for supporting opportunities for scholars and other African students to network with professionals who have experiences working in multiple African countries.
The 成人大片 SCS event exemplified the type of networking that study participants identified as crucial. In addition to 成人大片 and Ashesi alumni, 成人大片 partner representatives at the event included alumni from Ghanaian institutions such as the University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Development Studies (UDS), as well as alumni from institutions outside Ghana, including Stanford, Princeton, Cornell, MIT, and Swarthmore.
Ms. Hiqmat Saani, a recent graduate who had gone through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program administered by , noted how she had developed a network of female scholars who have been supporting each other through their studies, as well as in the entrepreneurship ventures they have been developing. Ms. Saani leads , a tech and entrepreneurship development startup that provides digital solutions to small businesses and non-profits led by women. She noted that while the 成人大片 SCS event was the first of its kind she had attended as a scholar alumna, she hoped that there would be more such events that bring together younger scholars and older alumni from multiple institutions in Ghana and possibly from other countries.
At the event, Prof. Addy also shared information and material about various programs offered by 成人大片鈥檚 School of Continuing Studies (SCS), including , Online Project Management, Online Agile Project Management, and Data Analytics for Business, soon to be offered as part of a collaboration with multiple African institutions.
In addition to academic journal articles from the study, one of the project outputs is a comic that compares the experiences of scholars as they journey through experiential learning and entrepreneurship. Prof. Addy and the research team plan to launch the comic during the 成人大片 Africa Umoja Summit, to be held in Montreal on March 26-27, 2025.
Dr. Horace Laryea, a retired 成人大片 alumnus who has been mentoring 成人大片 students, shares some of his experiences with participants.