The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) is deepening its strategic collaboration with the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development in Germany to expand academic research, strengthen institutional systems, and create global opportunities for students and staff.
Speaking during a high-level visit by a German academic delegation on February 25, 2026, the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships in line with Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). He emphasized that global collaboration remains central to UENR’s mandate of training skilled manpower for the energy and natural resource sectors.
Prof. Asare-Bediako noted that the existing partnership has already delivered significant benefits to staff and students, with plans underway to expand research collaborations, structured exchange programmes, and intercultural academic engagements. He also disclosed that UENR leadership will undertake a reciprocal visit to Germany later this year to consolidate the growing relationship.
The Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John K. M. Kuwornu, disclosed that both institutions are exploring expanded exchange opportunities for students, lecturers, and administrative staff to enhance academic delivery and intercultural learning. He further advocated structured credit transfer arrangements to ensure students who participate in exchange programmes receive full academic recognition.
On his part, the President of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Prof. Dr. Matthias Barth, underscored the importance of international academic networks in addressing global environmental challenges. He praised UENR students who have participated in exchange programmes in Germany, describing them as brilliant and noting that they have significantly enriched the intercultural environment on his campus.
Prof. Dr. Barth explained that the collaboration is anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals, with key focus areas including nature-based solutions, biosphere reserve research in Ghana and north-eastern Germany, and joint funding initiatives through the European Union Commission. He emphasized that the partnership is designed as a two-way bridge, facilitating not only Ghanaian students travelling to Germany but also German students undertaking internships and semester programmes at UENR.
Providing further insight into the partnership’s impact, the Programme Coordinator, Dr. Agyeman Yaw Boakye, revealed that the collaboration began in 2019 following a visit by Prof. Tobias Cremer, leading to the BL3B Project (2020–2024) and the establishment of an Erasmus+ exchange programme.
Since 2021, approximately 18 UENR students have undertaken fully funded semester-long studies in Germany, with travel, accommodation, and living expenses covered. One beneficiary received the 2025 DAAD Prize as the best student in her programme. The initiative, which began within the School of Natural Resources, has expanded to include students from the Planning Department, with two additional students scheduled to depart in March.
Beyond student mobility, Dr. Boakye highlighted ongoing research projects, including a sustainable cocoa farming initiative that trains farmers to integrate non-timber forest products to supplement incomes, and the newly launched RECAP Project, which will support student field research at Lake Bosomtwe through mentorship and international engagement opportunities.
The German delegation, which included Prof. Tobias Cremer and the Dean, International Relations Office of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Manuela Pelt, toured key facilities at UENR to gain firsthand insight into the University’s academic environment and ongoing projects.
A dinner was later held in honour of the visitors, during which the School of Natural Resources presented souvenirs as a symbol of appreciation and a reaffirmation of the growing partnership between the two institutions.
