zero poverty by 2030, but in order to attain this, there is a need for scientifically
sound evidence and ground-breaking evidence-based solutions.
Currently, Ghana has 10 national public universities, 74 private universities,
5 polytechnics (one private and four public) and many other accredited institutions
of tertiary education offering various degree programmes (NAB 2017). These HEIs
are well positioned to contribute to the Ghanaian sustainable development agenda.
They can play a major role in offering solutions to pertinent national sustainability
challenges through related research and development (R&D), science and technology curricula, teaching and general engagement with society. Since the early 2000s,
the government has shown renewed interest in developing science and technology
policy frameworks to enhance economic development (Amankwah-Amoah 2016),
including increasing the role of tertiary institutions in these efforts. The former
government, for example, had pledged to have a public university in each of the
ten regions of the country, convert polytechnics into technical universities and
establish a University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD). So
far, the Parliament has passed the Technical Universities Bill and the UESD Bill into
law (NDC 2016).
Despite the ever-strengthened link between HEIs and sustainable development,
the skillsets of graduates are generally inadequate to help achieve the required
technological innovation (e.g. Amu and Offei-Ansah 2011; Bawakyillenuo et al.
2013; Jowi et al. 2013; Ababio 2016). Like many SSA universities, there are
challenges in adequately integrating sustainability-related issues into curricula,
research and other programmes (e.g. GUNi et al. 2011; Nyerere et al. 2014).
Although the educational agenda and curricula related to sustainability should be
delivered through teaching, learning and assessment, there are few sustainabilityrelated policies and programmes to drive these. For example, out of the 43 taught
courses in the curriculum of the Higher National Diploma in Purchasing and Supply
Management programme offered by Polytechnics in Ghana, there were no sustainability focused courses and less than 4% of sub-topics were sustainability related
(Etse and Ingley 2016).
HEIs in Ghana are also strategically placed to undertake research for new
solutions to developmental issues to complement other national research institutions,
such as the 13 institutes subsumed under the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR). This has, however, not been as effective due to (a) archaic policies
and institutional systems for science, technology and innovation that are not aligned
to economic goals; (b) weak links and poor positive feedback between and among
institutions (i.e. HEIs, research institutes and the private sector) and (c) few incentives and mechanisms to encourage communication and collaboration (UNCTAD
2011; Jowi et al. 2013).
In addition, although many university departments offer educational programmes
that underline the core concept of sustainability science research (i.e., innovation and
co-production of knowledge), there is limited documentation to track and evaluate
them. In a review of six public Ghanaian universities, there were no explicit reports
about sustainability performance (including research and curricula related to sustainability), although there was some general information was available in annual
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A. M. Mensah and C. Gordon
sound evidence and ground-breaking evidence-based solutions.
Currently, Ghana has 10 national public universities, 74 private universities,
5 polytechnics (one private and four public) and many other accredited institutions
of tertiary education offering various degree programmes (NAB 2017). These HEIs
are well positioned to contribute to the Ghanaian sustainable development agenda.
They can play a major role in offering solutions to pertinent national sustainability
challenges through related research and development (R&D), science and technology curricula, teaching and general engagement with society. Since the early 2000s,
the government has shown renewed interest in developing science and technology
policy frameworks to enhance economic development (Amankwah-Amoah 2016),
including increasing the role of tertiary institutions in these efforts. The former
government, for example, had pledged to have a public university in each of the
ten regions of the country, convert polytechnics into technical universities and
establish a University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD). So
far, the Parliament has passed the Technical Universities Bill and the UESD Bill into
law (NDC 2016).
Despite the ever-strengthened link between HEIs and sustainable development,
the skillsets of graduates are generally inadequate to help achieve the required
technological innovation (e.g. Amu and Offei-Ansah 2011; Bawakyillenuo et al.
2013; Jowi et al. 2013; Ababio 2016). Like many SSA universities, there are
challenges in adequately integrating sustainability-related issues into curricula,
research and other programmes (e.g. GUNi et al. 2011; Nyerere et al. 2014).
Although the educational agenda and curricula related to sustainability should be
delivered through teaching, learning and assessment, there are few sustainabilityrelated policies and programmes to drive these. For example, out of the 43 taught
courses in the curriculum of the Higher National Diploma in Purchasing and Supply
Management programme offered by Polytechnics in Ghana, there were no sustainability focused courses and less than 4% of sub-topics were sustainability related
(Etse and Ingley 2016).
HEIs in Ghana are also strategically placed to undertake research for new
solutions to developmental issues to complement other national research institutions,
such as the 13 institutes subsumed under the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR). This has, however, not been as effective due to (a) archaic policies
and institutional systems for science, technology and innovation that are not aligned
to economic goals; (b) weak links and poor positive feedback between and among
institutions (i.e. HEIs, research institutes and the private sector) and (c) few incentives and mechanisms to encourage communication and collaboration (UNCTAD
2011; Jowi et al. 2013).
In addition, although many university departments offer educational programmes
that underline the core concept of sustainability science research (i.e., innovation and
co-production of knowledge), there is limited documentation to track and evaluate
them. In a review of six public Ghanaian universities, there were no explicit reports
about sustainability performance (including research and curricula related to sustainability), although there was some general information was available in annual
248
A. M. Mensah and C. Gordon