Ashesi Team Earns Top Honors in International Supply Chain Contest

A team of four Ashesi University students competed in the Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition, placing first in the Africa–Middle East region and earning bronze overall. The team, Reseau Est, comprised Cartier Scholars Sandrine Uwase’27 and Prosperine Hollande Nduwayo’27, alongside Mastercard Foundation Scholars Eunice Sayubu’26 and Divine La Grace Igirubuntu’26.

Focusing on Ethiopia, the team began by examining the everyday realities of rural farmers, including high post-harvest losses and unreliable links to urban markets. These insights informed their response, E-Network. This is a three-tier, interconnected solution comprising EN Hub, EN Digital, and EN Transport, designed to move produce more efficiently from farm to market.

The EN Hub centers on community-based storage facilities where farmers can store produce for a small fee, reducing post-harvest losses. These storage facilities would be operated by young people within the community, creating local employment opportunities. Building on this foundation, EN Digital connects farmers and buyers through a mobile platform supported by short codes accessible on basic phones. Farmers can list available produce, while buyers browse listings and plan purchases. For those without smartphones or digital literacy, trained agents stationed at the storage hubs provide on ground support.

Completing the system, EN Transport consolidates stored produce at the hubs and moves it to urban markets in full truckloads at lower cost. By reducing per-unit transport expenses, the model addresses the logistical inefficiencies that often prevent smallholder farmers from accessing larger and more profitable markets

“This competition has made us realize how crucial supply change is to society’s progress,”  Sandrine Uwase’27 shared. “There are challenges around us that we don’t notice until we start connecting the dots.”

“The team moved beyond isolated fixes to design a truly integrated system,” faculty advisor Sihaam Mohammed Sayuti said. “Grounded in African realities, their proposed solution demonstrated contextual awareness and a strong grasp of interconnected development challenges.”

The Cost of Silence: Why Recognising Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL) is an Investment in National Development and Social Justice

The Authors Nicholas Arthur-Baidoo Jnr, Elsie Edinam Avevor, Mustapha Bello, and Francis Kwesku Essel are members of the Ashesi Accessibility Team. The team advances disability inclusion by providing disability inclusion training and sign language services across the university.

 

A Language Waiting to Be Heard
In every corner of Ghana, language lives. It is expressed in various ways and represents our identity. These languages are recognised, celebrated, taught in schools, and used in Parliament. Yet there is another Ghanaian language, one that speaks not through sound but through body movement, visuals, and gestures. Ghanaian Sign Language (GhSL) is the mother tongue of over 110,000 Deaf Ghanaians and the primary means of communication for many thousands more within their families and communities (Ghana National Association of the Deaf, 2022; Ghana Statistical Service, 2021). Like any spoken language, GhSL possesses all five linguistic dimensions: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Despite being a complete and naturally evolving language, GhSL remains unrecognised by the State.

This silence comes at a high cost, manifested in broken educational outcomes, denied justice, compromised healthcare, lost economic productivity, and the daily erosion of human dignity. As Ghana strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), the exclusion of an entire linguistic community from full participation in national life is a contradiction we can no longer afford. This paper calls upon the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Parliament of Ghana, and all relevant stakeholders to take immediate and decisive action: recognise GhSL as an official national language.

 

The Human Right to a Mother Tongue: GhSL as the Foundation of Identity
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO] (2020), “mother tongue” refers to “the language a person acquires in early childhood, typically at home, and uses as their primary instrument of thought and communication.” This is a right for every child from birth. However, only approximately 5 to 10 percent of Deaf children experience GhSL as their first language. The majority, over 90 percent, are born into hearing families with no prior knowledge of sign language (Fobi & Oppong, 2022; Humphries et al., 2019). For these children, GhSL becomes their accessible mother tongue only when they finally encounter it, often late and inadequately, at schools for the Deaf, where they first comprehend the world, form thoughts, and express their innermost selves.

Language is not merely a tool for communication; it is the vessel of identity, culture, and cognitive development. A child who cannot access language in their formative years (0 to 5 years) is not merely delayed but deprived of the foundation for future learning. Recognising GhSL affirms that Deaf Ghanaians possess a linguistic identity as valid and valuable as any spoken language community. As the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations has consistently advocated, “Nothing About Us Without Us” must include the right to exist and thrive in one’s own language (Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, 2023). To deny recognition to GhSL is to tell an entire community that their way of being, communicating, and knowing is less legitimate than a form of linguistic discrimination that has no place in a modern, inclusive Ghana.

The Current Educational Crisis: Delayed Access, Lost Potential
The lack of official recognition for GhSL has created a crisis in Deaf education that begins at birth and persists throughout life. Hearing children in Ghana are immersed in language from the moment they are born. They absorb vocabulary, grammar, and syntax naturally from parents, siblings, and communities. By the time they enter kindergarten, they possess a rich linguistic foundation ready to be expanded through formal education.

Deaf children, by contrast, often face a “linguistic vacuum” and arrive at school without a first language (Obosu et al., 2023). They enter classrooms not as linguistically equipped learners but as children deprived of the most basic human need: language and communication. For decades, schools meant to serve them have lacked a standardised, nationally approved GhSL curriculum. The result has been catastrophic. Deaf students leave school functionally illiterate, unable to read or write at levels that allow further education or meaningful employment. A 2021 study by the University of Cape Coast found that Deaf learners consistently underperform compared to their hearing peers, not due to a lack of intelligence but to a lack of accessible instruction in their own language.

The recent development of a harmonised GhSL Curriculum by NaCCA and the Ghana Education Service, validated in November 2025, is a historic and welcome step (NaCCA & Ghana Education Service, 2025, November 7). However, a curriculum without official language status is like a building without a foundation. Official recognition would embed this curriculum into the national education framework, mandate teacher training in GhSL, and ensure that Deaf children receive the quality education they are entitled to. Evidence worldwide shows that countries recognising national sign languages, such as Uganda (1995), Kenya (2010), South Africa (2023), and numerous Western nations, report higher literacy rates, greater academic success, and improved life outcomes for Deaf learners (World Federation of the Deaf, 2023). Ghana must learn from these examples.

Africa Today Journal Finds New Institutional Home at Ashesi

We are pleased to announce that Africa Today, a scholarly journal previously published by Indiana University Press and edited in the African Studies Program at Indiana University, Bloomington, has moved to Ashesi University. The acquisition forms part of Ashesi’s broader efforts to strengthen its research environment as it works toward achieving the R2 University designation.

While it will continue to be published by Indiana University Press, Africa Today will now be housed within the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Department at Ashesi, increasing the University’s engagement in scholarly research and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Africa Today publishes peer-reviewed scholarly articles, book reviews, and short features on topics related to contemporary Africa and its diasporas. The journal welcomes submissions of individual manuscripts for open issues and for special issues focused on topical themes.

We approach this transition with a deep sense of stewardship,” Dr. Wahab, Head of the HSS Department, shared. “Sustaining that tradition of rigorous scholarship remains central, while creating greater opportunities for our faculty and other scholars, particularly those based on the continent, to engage more directly in research and academic publishing,” he added.

Ashesi Debate Society Secures First Place in Maiden Inter University Championship

The Ashesi Speech and Debate Society, placed first at the maiden edition of the Inter-University Debate Championship hosted by the Lancaster University Ghana Student Council.

It was represented by Daniel Oppong-Amponsah ’27, Kwabena Amoako-Prempeh ’28, David Amartey ’28, and Isaac Kwabena Bekoe ’29 with Albert Agyepong, a  Lecturer with the Law Department as Team Advisor. Oppong-Amponsah was also adjudged Best Speaker of the competition.

Held at the British Council, the championship convened 4 universities, including Knutsford University and Academic City University. In the first round, Ashesi debated Academic City University on the motion, “Religious leaders should not partake in partisan politics.” Arguing in support of the motion, the team highlighted the risks of coercing religious followers, the potential erosion of religious credibility of such leaders, and internal divisions that could emerge within faith communities when their leaders engage in partisan politics. These arguments and more earned Ashesi 247 points, securing the University a place in the finals.

Ashesi argued against the motion, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) will destroy more opportunities than it will create in the near future,” competing against Lancaster University Ghana in the final round. The team maintained that AI has the capacity to create new jobs, expand access to skills development, reduce social inequality, and boost productivity and efficiency for small businesses. These, the team stated, would ultimately create a ripple effect of benefits across society.

“Apart from improving our ability to work as a team, this competition helped us improve our ability to think on our feet while being able to quickly adjust our arguments based on those of the opponent,” shared Oppong-Amponsah  on behalf of the team.

On the team’s performance, Agyepong said “This win, for me, speaks to the hard work and tenacity of the members of the Speech and Debate club. Reviving the club and rebuilding it to a level where we could achieve this is remarkable.”

AJC Ruling on Unauthorized Use of AI in Leadership II Course

On Thursday, January 29th 2026, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) adjudicated a case of unauthorized use of AI involving a student in the class of 2028.

Background

During the 2025/26 Fall semester, students enrolled in the Leadership II course were cautioned against unauthorized use of AI tools. Despite this, several assignments were flagged for AI use, and failing grades were issued accordingly. One student disputed the allegation, leading to a formal review by the AJC.

Hearing

At the hearing, the student submitted a screenshot of an AI chatbot interaction to support the claim that their AI use complied with Ashesi policy. The screenshot showed the student requesting “ideas,” which the student argued did not constitute unauthorized use. The committee found this interpretation to be incorrect, as seeking ideas from an AI tool still constituted AI assistance.

Upon further request, the committee reviewed the actual chat history and discovered that the student had edited their prompts two months after the initial interaction. This review revealed an attempt to conceal an earlier prompt that explicitly asked the chatbot to generate a full 1,500-word essay. The essay produced by the chatbot closely matched the submitted assignment, indicating deliberate misrepresentation.

Verdict & Recommendation(s)

After deliberating, the AJC concluded that the student was found guilty of unauthorized use of AI and lying to university officials. The student would receive a failing grade for the class, and suspension for two (2) semesters.

As stated in Ashesi’s Student Handbook and AI Use Policy:

  • “Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, unauthorized exchange of information or use of material during an examination, unauthorized transfer of information or completed work among students, use of the same paper in more than one course, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, and other unethical behaviour. Disciplinary action will be taken against academic dishonesty” (Section 7.4)
  • “Unless explicitly allowed by a faculty member for a given course or assignment, the use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Quillbot, Google Bard and others) for academic work by students is prohibited.”
  • A student should not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentations to any University office. (Section 9.2).
  • Ashesi University, its students, and its professional associations will not in any way condone cheating, lying, or any other misrepresentations. Moreover, anyone who willingly conceals these activities will be considered accomplices and equally culpable. (Section 7.5)

Advice to the Ashesi Community:

The AJC would like to remind students that the use of AI and a lack of academic integrity will have serious repercussions. In addition to this, the Ashesi community should remember the following:

  • AI use is not limited to only copying generated content. When students share assignments with AI chat bots for guidance, they must understand that this is using AI.
  • When students repeatedly commit infractions in class, this must be recognized as multiple violations of Ashesi’s Code of Conduct. Repeated infractions should be escalated to the Dean of Student & Community Affairs for guidance on sanctions.
  • Lying and misleading university officials are serious violations of Ashesi’s Code of Conduct.
  • It is essential to learn from previous academic integrity violations to understand the seriousness with which such cases are treated.

We trust that this case will serve as a learning experience for our community. Academic honesty is very important at Ashesi and is central to our mission: To train a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within our students the critical thinking skills, concern for others, and the courage it will take to transform a continent. This applies to all no matter the circumstance.

Rayane Kameni’s Exchange Experience at Ashesi

When Rayane Kameni, a final-year Mechanical Engineering student from CESI (École d’Ingénieurs), arrived at Ashesi as an exchange student, he joined a research team working to address unpredictable rainfall and limited irrigation that threaten food security and farmers’ incomes in Ghana.

Working alongside two Ashesi research interns, Kameni contributed to a project titled “Synthesis and Characterization of Biodegradable Cassava-Based Hydrogels for Water Management in Irrigation.” In many parts of Ghana, inconsistent rainfall and limited access to water affect crop yields. To tackle this challenge, the team used cassava, a widely cultivated and affordable crop, to develop biodegradable hydrogels. Cassava’s high starch content allows it to form a network structure that absorbs and retains water, making it an effective base material for the research. To produce the hydrogels, cassava was peeled, blended into pulp, and processed to extract and dry starch. The team tested different starch concentrations to evaluate how effectively each formulation absorbed and slowly released water. By analyzing absorption rates and release patterns, they assessed the material’s potential to support plant growth during dry periods.

A major part of Kameni’s contribution involved improving the efficiency and consistency of the hydrogel production process. He converted a 3D printer into a bioprinter capable of delivering starch solution into a salt solution with greater precision than manual methods.

The adaptation presented technical challenges. The printer’s motor initially operated too slowly, and the syringe setup was unstable, causing delays between motor movement and starch flow. Kameni redesigned key components of the system, reducing the distance between the motor and syringe to improve responsiveness and structural stability. The strengthened setup securely held larger syringes, enabling the team to dispense greater volumes of starch solution more efficiently and accurately.

For Kameni, the exchange program was a meaningful learning experience that strengthened his professional skills. He explained that working on the bioprinter improved his programming skills, particularly in geometric code (G-code), and expanded his understanding of how automation can support sustainable engineering solutions.

“Kameni’s participation as an exchange student added a valuable perspective to the research team,” Dr. Elena Rosca, Head of the Engineering Department and Senior Lecturer, shared. “It allowed him to strengthen core engineering skills through consistent practice while contributing meaningfully to the project’s progress.”

Does Harmattan Dust affect Solar Energy Generation in West Africa?   

In West Africa, dust buildup during the Harmattan season can significantly reduce the amount of electricity solar panels produce. Dry winds from the Sahara carry fine dust across the region, which settles on exposed surfaces, including solar panels. In some locations, this buildup can reduce electricity generation by more than half. Although solar energy is used to improve access to electricity in West Africa, very little data has been collected directly at installed solar sites to assess how dust affects performance. Many global studies rely on only a few monitoring sites in the region, making it difficult to fully understand the scale and nature of the problem under local conditions.

Addressing the Data Gap: ASMONET  

This lack of on-site information led researchers Heather R. Beem, Antwi Afari Acheampong, Augustine Ofosu-Appiah’24,Francis Aweenagua’21, and Jeremiah Takyi ’20 from Ashesi University, together with Stewart Isaacs from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to develop the Ashesi Solar Monitoring Network (ASMONET). It is an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled monitoring network installed directly at solar sites. It uses internet-connected sensors to collect real-time and historical data on how dust, weather, and air quality affect the amount of electricity produced by solar panels.

The ASMONET system combines equipment that measures local weather and environmental conditions, a setup that tracks the effect of dust accumulation on solar panels, and a cloud-based application that stores, visualizes, and allows download of collected data, enabling researchers to monitor environmental conditions and system performance on the ground in real time.

New Student Council Assumes Office at Ashesi University

Ashesi University has officially sworn in new executives for the Ashesi Students’ Council (ASC), ushering in a new phase of student governance. The ceremony provided an opportunity to acknowledge the outgoing council’s year of service and highlight the values that guide student leadership at the University.

Framing the outgoing council’s journey through Ashesi’s core pillars of Scholarship, Leadership, and Citizenship, the outgoing Vice President, Yvette Ahishakiye ’26, highlighted how these values informed initiatives that extended learning beyond the classroom and supported holistic student development during their tenure.

She encouraged the new executives to approach leadership with unity and purpose. “It is a one-year tenure, but it holds endless opportunities to shape Ashesi into the institution you envisioned when you first applied,” she said.

Affirming the incoming executives’ commitment to Ashesi’s mission of educating ethical leaders, Daniel Oppong-Amponsah ’27, President of the new Student Council, outlined priorities for his tenure focused on building on existing foundations and strengthening collaboration across the community. He emphasized intentional leadership, and clear communication as central to the council’s work, noting the importance of aligning student initiatives with the University’s broader goals.

Collaboration as Innovation Strategy: Lessons from the Ghana Infectious Disease Center (GIDC) Project

Dr. Naa Adjeley Ashiboe-Mensah Doamekpor holds a PhD in Building Technology, with research focused on innovation adoption and the uptake of building-integrated photovoltaic technologies in Ghana’s building industry. She is a quantity surveyor with over a decade of experience in quantity surveying, project management, and contract management, and is a Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and a certified member of the Project Management Institute. She has served on the Governing Council and other committees of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors and works as a trainer and examiner for professional quantity surveyors

When I started my PhD, Ghana was in the throes of another energy crisis. I wondered why we were grappling with energy challenges in a country with abundant sunlight and heat. Given that buildings account for a significant share of energy use, the question that plagued me was how to integrate solar technologies, such as photovoltaics (solar PV), into buildings. I found that the uptake of new technologies is rarely about the technology alone. I discovered that even when solar PV was technically feasible and economically viable for building projects, adoption often stalled. This phenomenon, I found, was shaped by a wide range of interrelated factors that created a complex dynamic of influence.

Innovation is a multifaceted concept defined in various ways, but it does not necessarily require the invention of something entirely new. It can involve applying an existing idea in a novel way or within a new context. In his research on how new ideas spread through societies, Everett Rogers stated that changes in thought, behavior, or processes that create new societal value can be considered innovation. Innovation management involves generating ideas or developing new products and processes. It also includes the adoption and diffusion of these ideas, products, and processes. Innovations can only create value if people use them, which makes adoption and diffusion a critical part of innovation management.

In trying to understand innovation management, I often looked to foreign theories and overlooked the insights embedded in our own traditional practices. In this op-ed, I highlight an innovative project and show how the Akan principle of “nnoboa” offers a useful lens for explaining the success of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.

Innovation in the Construction Industry
Beyond the traditional concerns of time, cost, and quality, innovation in construction has become a fourth competitive dimension. The construction sector is plagued by productivity, efficiency, and safety challenges that can be addressed through innovative approaches. For instance, modular integrated construction enables entire buildings to be manufactured off-site and assembled on-site. This innovation allows for faster on-site assembly, reducing construction time while improving quality control and minimizing waste.

Another example is 3D printing, a construction method in which specialized printers use concrete or mortar as a printing material, depositing it layer by layer to create three-dimensional structures. This innovation offers significant labor savings and faster build rates, while also allowing for greater flexibility in design. NASA and the Texas-based construction technology company ICON are experimenting with 3D printing systems for use beyond Earth, such as on the Moon or Mars. Other innovations in the construction industry include drones, construction robotics and automation, digital twins, and related technologies. However, such innovations can only achieve meaningful impact if the industry is prepared to adopt them.

In the construction sector, innovation and adoption are slow and uneven. The sector is complex and conservative, and it faces high implementation risks associated with new technologies and processes. It also has a fragmented structure and disjointed project processes. Adversarial relationships further undermine collaborative efforts. In addition, clients’ excessive emphasis on cost and time has stunted innovation in the industry. The construction sector in Ghana is no different. Innovation is stifled. It is therefore instructive to explore how and why the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC) project delivered innovative outcomes in such an environment, contrary to expectations.

Daphne Chebesi ’22 Named Among Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2027

Daphne Chebesi ’22 has been named a Schwarzman Scholar, joining a highly selective global cohort pursuing a Master’s in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The scholarship recognizes emerging leaders committed to addressing complex global challenges through service, leadership, and cross-cultural understanding. 

At Ashesi, Chebesi studied Business Administration and was actively involved in leadership and service initiatives beyond the classroom. As a Melton Foundation Fellow she founded Inspire for Peace, a personal project responding to the ongoing conflict in Cameroon, particularly its impact on education in the country’s English-speaking regions, where many young people have been forced out of school. Through the project, Chebesi led a social media awareness campaign using animated videos produced with support from the Melton Foundation and organized fundraising activities to sustain the initiative.

These efforts supported about 140 primary school students with stationery supplies, alongside follow-up visits to assess the project’s impact. Through Ashesi and the Melton Foundation, she received two grants from the Ford Foundation to support her project. Chebesi also collaborated with other Melton Fellows to develop a children’s storybook featuring narratives from different regions. Three years after graduating from Ashesi, she joined the Melton Foundation Board. 

She has also supported students seeking access to higher education. Through Open Dreams, the organization through which she applied to Ashesi, Chebesi volunteered as an application reviewer, helping prospective students. Before attending Ashesi, she volunteered with the Young Achievers Foundation in Ghana, a nonprofit focused on youth development through access to higher education and professional skills. 

Evans Kumi ’25 Named Global Finalist for McCall MacBain Scholarships, as Martha Chaitezvi ’25 Receives Regional Award

Ashesi alumnus Evans Kumi ’25 has been named one of 38 global finalists for the McCall MacBain Scholarships. Applicants came from more than 2,300 universities worldwide, and 280 advanced to a first round of interviews in October and November. The top 38 international candidates will attend the final round of interviews in Montreal, joined by 53 Canadian finalists.

The McCall MacBain Scholarships are leadership-based awards for master’s and professional studies, attracting applicants from more than 2,300 universities worldwide. Candidates are assessed on character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

A Mastercard Foundation Scholar, Kumi graduated from Ashesi with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. While on campus he founded and led the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club at Ashesi, creating a platform to explore how artificial intelligence can be applied to address African challenges in health, education, and other sectors. He also co-founded MyScholarsHub, a youth-focused platform that connects students to scholarships and educational opportunities, where he served as Information Technology(IT) Manager. In addition, he founded Hopscof Inc., which provides web development training to high school graduates and teachers in selected communities.

Among his notable projects is SignWithMe, an AI-powered sign language learning platform developed to support communication with deaf individuals within the Ashesi community. For his undergraduate thesis, Kumi also designed BreathWise, a neural network and IoT-based system for the early detection of lung disease in low-resource settings, which earned recognition as a notable thesis project.

“Being named a McCall MacBain finalist is deeply humbling,” shared Kumi, who is applying for a master’s program in Computer Science at McGill. “Ashesi created the space for me to dream and experiment, with consistent support from faculty and staff, which contributed to this opportunity. I hope to deepen my training at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biomedical engineering, exploring how data-driven models can improve healthcare access and outcomes.”

Kumi was one of two candidates from Ashesi recognized this year. Martha Chaitezvi ’25 also earned a C$10,000 McCall MacBain Regional Award for being among the top candidates in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Regional Award can be applied to eligible studies at any public university in Canada.

Disability Accessibility Accommodation Request

The International Programs and Campus Cohesion team is committed to creating a learning environment where every student can thrive.

Students who require accommodations due to a disability or special learning need are encouraged to submit a request through the accommodation form. Support may include physical access adjustments, assistive technology, or specialized assistance.

Accessibility is a shared responsibility between students, faculty, and staff, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone belongs and can fully participate in campus life.

Request accommodations using this link.