By Kwame Bediako
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on Friday, March 27, 2026, welcomed top Ghanaian universities to its headquarters in Nyaniba for a pivotal collaborative event titled “Expanding Ghana-Germany University Partnerships (Matchmaking).”
This gathering brought together leaders from 21 German universities and representatives from Ghana’s diverse academic landscape, aiming to forge stronger research, funding and innovation links amid global uncertainties.
DAAD Secretary General Dr. Kai Sicks emphasized the timeliness of the initiative, noting a “special momentum” in German-Ghanaian academic collaboration.
Speaking at the event, he highlighted converging research interests and Ghana’s stable development as key draws
“Countries like Ghana develop in a way that is very stable and offers very good opportunities for German universities also to come here,” he said, explaining the week-long visit’s goal to extend ties despite worldwide fragilities straining traditional partnerships.
The matchmaking invited diverse universities nationwide, fostering personal connections and joint projects to tackle funding challenges. “We need to find excellent projects, areas where we can come together, where we can together also attract new funding,” he added.
Dr. Sicks also highlighted the boom in Ghanaian students in Germany, now around 3,000. “We have seen that the number of students from Ghana who come to Germany has risen quite a bit over the past year… which offers employment opportunities for these students in Germany but also for those who come back in Ghana,” he noted.
Over 50% return post-graduation a ratio he praised for avoiding brain drain, enabling them to “stay friends with Germany here [and] contribute to partnerships beyond academia, later also in the economy.”
He also noted that they have engaged with 15 Ghanaian universities and numerous innovation hubs, signaling robust interest in entrepreneurship training that equips students for startups.
