Several of Tech’s deans and heads of departments met the KNUST officials. Front row, from left, Hamid Rahnema, Navid Mojtabai, William Ampomah, Steve Simpson, Rita Akosua Dickson, Andrews Kwasi Boateng, Daniel YA Duah. Back row from left, Corey Leclerc, Clint Jeffrey, Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, Michael Jackson, Yaw Nimo-Baffour, Richard Thompson.
New Mexico Tech, Ghana’s KNUST sign major MoU
October 23, 2023
SOCORRO, NM (October 23, 2023)—New Mexico Tech has renewed its agreement with KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) in Ghana, which will expand collaboration between the two universities and promote the exchange of students, faculty and STEM approaches education. The MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed on October 20 by Interim President Daniel López of NM Tech and Vice President Dr. Rita Akosua Dickson of KNUST. Vice President of Student Life David Green also signed the document.
The team from Ghana included Professor Daniel Duah, Dean of International Programs. Yaw Nimo-Baffour, Director of Finance. Andrews Kwasi Boateng, Secretary of KNUST. and Prof. Kwabena Britwum Nyarko, Professor of the College of Engineering.
President López said, at the signing, “We have to think globally… to find solutions to very complex and difficult, global problems. What better place to start [than with]
young minds, dedicated researchers? …
the possibilities are endless.”
In her remarks, Vice Chancellor Dickson extolled the value of partnership and a global perspective. She
said, “It’s important to be able to get that research-fueled curiosity that can drive not only faculty
but it can also lead students…. As we train these future leaders… their destination must be the
people because they will be there anyway…”.
KNUST is the leading STEM university in Ghana, located in the city of Kumasi in central Ghana, offering
wide variety of STEM-focused degree programs from pharmacology to veterinary medicine
mineralogy, hydrology and engineering. With more than 89,000 KNUST students and multiple research
centers, this collaboration with NM Tech will create a rich resource for research, opportunities and
innovation.
After the signing, the team began conversations to explore ideas, learn about different pedagogies and
navigate the nuts and bolts of collaboration. Several deans and department chairs met with visitors to understand how their departments and programs articulate with each other, looking for places to implement sharing.
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Jackson spoke of the exciting future for both institutions,
outlining the benefits of NM Tech’s role in the partnership. “Research is the DNA of what we offer…
We encourage students [including first-year] “be here in the lab and get your hands dirty.”
Additionally, Jackson emphasized that NM Tech’s value of Entrepreneurship and Innovation means “we
they want students to go on and do good things,” and Tech wants to maximize their opportunities after that
graduate.
Possible partnerships mentioned were formal and informal exchanges such as Study Abroad, professors
sabbaticals, as well as credit and non-credit professional development programs. Other possibilities
collaboration can be double degree programs bridging between the two universities, at
undergraduate and/or graduate level. The many research centers on both campuses also provide fruitful
ground for the cooperation of teachers and students.
All agreed that the ultimate goal of the partnership is to see students grow and progress to become
successful in their chosen fields.
The visit by the KNUST team lasted three days and included a warm welcome lunch with the Vice-Chancellor
Student Life David Greene and the several Ghanaian students attending New Mexico Tech. Dr. Duah
he thanked the team for the fellowship and told them about the collaboration meetings. He exhorted them, as
leaders here in New Mexico, “To be known for something…. Let them remember you for something great.”
About New Mexico Tech
New Mexico Tech, also known as the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, is a STEM focused
university in a central location in Socorro, New Mexico. It is high in the regional and national ranking,
this community of scholars and educators is dedicated to research, innovation, and education that will
meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. NMT is recognized as a “Hispanic Serving Institution” (HSI),
with more than 40 percent of its students identifying as Hispanic. New Mexico Tech is accredited by the
Higher Education Commission as a Ph.D.-granting university.
For all media inquiries, please contact Jay Ann Cox, Communications Specialist, 575-835-5260,
jay.cox@nmt.edu.
Ghanaian students at New Mexico Tech welcomed representatives from KNUST, the top STEM university in their country, with a lunch at Deju House.