MTN Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to promote telecommunications research and innovation at the university. The agreement will enhance collaboration between the two institutions to support research and develop and nurture students pursuing engineering programmes.
The signing of the MOU marked the official launch of the MTN Telecoms and Innovations Fund. The fund, established with an amount of Three hundred Thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢ 300,000.00), is to be disbursed by MTN with GHC 60,000 annual payments over a five year period.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Corporate Services Executive, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor said, ‘‘there is an increasing demand for enthusiastic graduates who already have a sense of what they can do to contribute to industry growth by the time they complete their tertiary education. This initiative we are launching today represents industry and academia joining hands towards a common goal of building capacity and preparing students for the job market.’’
The Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Prof. William Otoo Ellis said, “It is worth noting that though KNUST seeks to pursue academic excellence, it cannot be attained by our institution alone. It is for this reason that we are grateful for this partnership. My staff are very enthusiastic about this innovation fund and are poised to make it work. We hope that this will mark the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. The output of this investment has benefits for society at large”.
The partnership also includes an arrangement under which MTN will facilitate a number of internship placements for third year Engineering students for supervised training during the long vacation. The Foundation will support the programme by arranging with relevant partner organizations for placement.