UPSA students leave for the Netherlands

A group of 14 students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), have left Ghana for the Netherlands for a one-week business tour.

A statement issued by Mrs Vera Akumiah, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, UPSA, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said the group, made up of graduate and undergraduate students, was part of a 20-man Ghanaian contingent participating in the 2015 edition of the New Business Challenge.

It said the six other students were from the Central University College.

The statement explained that the New Business Challenge is a Netherlands government-sponsored competition aimed at unearthing student-led talents in developing sustainable solutions for real-life challenges facing selected businesses in Ghana and the Netherlands.

"The programme also seeks to serve as a bridge connecting private companies and universities in both the Netherlands and Ghana and make education more practice-oriented.

The statement said “a 20-man Ghanaian-participants, would team up with 20 Dutch students to compete for the top spot as the best solution to a business case in return for a one-year bragging right.”

It noted that the group would spend one week in the Netherlands, while the Dutch students would also spend one week in Ghana.

Prior to their departure, the UPSA students were given training on proper business etiquette and communications by the Dean of Graduate Studies, Professor Goski Alabi.

She advised the students to endeavour to be the best brand ambassadors of the University in the competition.

The statement said the challenge was all about discovering new opportunities for the private sector and maximising the entrepreneurial potential of the students.

It said the winning team would receive a trophy awarded by the Netherlands Ambassador in Ghana, as well as a guaranteed internship for participants at participating companies both in Netherlands and Ghana.