As Ashesi University expands its range of programs and welcomes students at more levels of learning, the University is also strengthening the role of research in its academic experience. This growth is reflected in the inaugural Ashesi Program for Innovation, Research, and Entrepreneurship (ASPIRE), which has selected nine faculty-led projects for its 2026 fellowship.
ASPIRE is an integrated research and innovation program designed to support faculty research that addresses important challenges in Ghana and the wider African context. The fellowship also creates opportunities for faculty to generate knowledge that can enrich teaching and learning, while giving students greater exposure to research in practice.
The nine projects span Ashesi’s six research clusters: Sustainable Technologies & Climate Resilience; Healthcare, Food Systems & Bio-Innovation; AI, Robotics & Intelligent Futures; Business, Entrepreneurship & Market Innovation; Policy, Governance, Law & Ethics; and Education, Culture & Social Advancement.
The research addresses challenges that range from food preservation and healthcare to digital fraud, workplace well-being, legal reform, and science education. In Accra’s vegetable markets, for example, Gideon Ofori Osabutey and Dr. Kwame Adjei-Mantey will investigate whether affordable evaporative cooling can reduce food spoilage. Their study will also examine the social and economic factors that influence whether traders adopt and maintain the technology.
In healthcare, Kwabena Bamfo will assess i-SpEye, a smartphone application designed to help frontline health workers identify patients who may require cataract treatment. The project will test the application against clinician-checked local eye images and examine the considerations needed for its responsible deployment.
Questions around technology and learning feature in three of the projects under AI, Robotics & Intelligent Futures. As generative artificial intelligence and cross-device sharing tools continue to challenge traditional approaches to assessing student work, Dr. Adjepon-Yamoah introduced Notebook. It is an application that turns a student’s laptop into a secure, distraction-free examination environment. The research will examine the effectiveness of non-invasive approaches to assessment and their potential impact on factors such as student test anxiety.
