The French embassy in Ghana has signed an agreement with the Vice Chancellors Ghana (VCG) association establishing a foundation for additional bilateral agreements with member universities in both countries in order to deepen cooperation in the higher education sector.

Among other things, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) is expected to create an enabling framework for existing partnerships between Ghanaian and French universities, as well as pave the way for the establishment of new and more innovative alliances both in quantity and in quality, since numerous specialised schools and universities have already demonstrated interest in partnering with Ghanaian universities. 

It is also hoped that student mobility will be improved by the forging of partnerships with French universities to facilitate the year-abroad language immersion programme. There is also the possibility of studying in English in all fields of higher education.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, French Ambassador François Pujolas said the MOU signified another “building block in the productive relationship between VCG and the French embassy which dates back about 10 years”.

“Being bilingual and multicultural also provides job opportunities at an international level as the French language is spoken on all the continents”, said Pujolas, adding that, “Higher education in France is one of the least expensive in the world and at the same time one of the best.” 

Plans are under way to set up a scholarship scheme in collaboration with the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for students wanting to pursue postgraduate studies in France. It is also expected that an association will be created in the coming months to serve as the bedrock of the France Alumni Ghana digital platform.

In November this year, Ghana will be represented by a university delegation at the Francophonie-themed Campus France fair in Paris. It will be an occasion to further university cooperation between the two countries. 

Pujolas said, over the past decade, France had assisted Ghana to undertake a number of significant developments in the educational sector. From 2013 to 2017, four editions of the Ghana-France Higher Education Conference had been organised either in France or Ghana. 

These conferences originated from the idea of bringing together heads of key universities in both countries in order to discuss potential avenues of cooperation and construct new projects that would boost university mobility, joint research projects and knowledge sharing. 

He said in-between the conferences, VCG and the French embassy have collaborated to achieve major breakthroughs; for instance, in 2015 when the efforts of both teams led to the ratification of a bilateral agreement between France and Ghana for the mutual recognition of university studies and academic qualification degrees. This agreement was the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, and helped to facilitate direct access by Ghanaian degree holders to further education in France.

Last year the first “Study in France” education fair was held in Accra and Kumasi, as well as the launch of the Ghanaian chapter of the international old student digital network, known as France Alumni. 

This online platform, currently counting 260 members, fosters connection and networking among alumni, partner institutions and companies. “The founding of France Alumni Ghana indeed attests to the rising number of Ghanaians who travel to France each year to pursue studies. In 2017 alone, this number reached 220, with a remarkable 40% increment in postgraduate level studies between 2015 and 2017,” Pujolas said. 

Over the last four years, various initiatives have also been implemented to facilitate expertise sharing, access to training and pedagogical support through the French government-sponsored Solidarity Fund Projects, to share the International Digital Platform for French Teachers in Ghana as part of the embassy’s support for the School of Doctoral Studies in French. 

Pujolas said there have been a range of inter-university partnerships varying in scope and focus which have bolstered higher education cooperation between France and Ghana. 

They include ISA-Lille universities and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana; the Master Fast Track programme; Sciences Po Paris – University of Ghana student exchange programme; IFREMER (oceanic research institute) – West Brittany University – Rennes University – University of Ghana research and exchange programme; ENA (French National School of Administration) – Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration exchange programme; and the Institute of Research and Development – University of Ghana’s Noguchi Institute joint health and environment research programme.