Meeting with the officials from KNUST were several of Tech’s deans and department heads. Front row, from left, Hamid Rahnema, Navid Mojtabai, William Ampomah, Steve Simpson, Rita Akosua Dickson, Andrews Kwasi Boateng, Daniel Y. A. Duah. Back row from left, Corey Leclerc, Clint Jeffrey, Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, Michael Jackson, Yaw Nimo-Baffour, Richard Thompson.

SOCORRO, N.M. (Oct. 23, 2023)—New Mexico Tech has renewed its agreement with KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) in Ghana, which will extend the partnership between the two universities and promote the exchange of students, faculty, and approaches to STEM education. The MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed on Oct. 20 by Interim President Daniel López of NM Tech and Vice Chancellor Dr. Rita Akosua Dickson of KNUST. VP of Student Life David Greene also signed the document.

In the group from Ghana were Prof. Daniel Duah, Dean of International Programs; Yaw Nimo-Baffour, Director of Finance; Andrews Kwasi Boateng, KNUST’s Registrar; and Prof. Kwabena Britwum Nyarko, Provost of the College of Engineering.

President López said, at the signing, “We need to think globally… to find solutions to very complex and difficult, global problems. What better place to start [than with] young minds, dedicated researchers? …
the possibilities are endless.”

In her comments, Vice Chancellor Dickson praised the value of partnership and a global perspective. She
said, “It’s important that we are able to get this research-fueled curiosity that can drive not just faculty
but can also drive the students…. As we train these future leaders… their destination should be the
globe because they will find themselves there anyway….”

KNUST is the leading STEM university in Ghana, located in the central Ghana city of Kumasi, and offers a
wide variety of STEM-focused degree programs from pharmacology to veterinary medicine to
mineralogy, hydrology and engineering. With KNUST’s more than 89,000 students and multiple research
centers, this partnership with NM Tech will create a rich resource for research, opportunity and
innovation.

After the signing, the group began talks in order to explore ideas, learn about different pedagogies, and
navigate the nuts and bolts of the collaboration. Several deans and department chairs met with the visitors to understand how their departments and programs articulate with each other, looking for places to implement sharing.

Interim VP of Academic Affairs Michael Jackson spoke about the exciting future for both institutions,
outlining the advantages of NM Tech’s role in the partnership. “Research is the DNA of what we offer....
We encourage students [including first-year] to ‘be here in the lab and get your hands dirty.’”
Additionally, Jackson emphasized that NM Tech’s value of Entrepreneurism and Innovation means “we
want students to go on and do good things,” and Tech wants to maximize their opportunities after they
graduate.

Possible collaborations mentioned were formal and informal exchanges such as Study Abroad, faculty
sabbaticals, as well as credit and non-credit professional development programs. Other potential
collaboration might be dual-degree programs that bridge between the two universities, at the
undergraduate and/or graduate level. The many research centers on both campuses also provide fertile
ground for faculty and student collaboration.

All agreed that the ultimate goal of the partnership is to see students grow and move on to become
successful in their chosen fields.

The visit by the KNUST group lasted three days and included a warm welcome luncheon with VP of
Student Life David Greene and the several Ghanaian students who attend New Mexico Tech. Dr. Duah
thanked the group for the fellowship and told them about the partnership meetings. He urged them, as
leaders here in New Mexico, “Be known for something…. Let them remember you for something great.”

About New Mexico Tech
New Mexico Tech, also known as New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, is a STEM-focused
university in centrally located Socorro, New Mexico. Ranking high in the regional and national standings,
this community of scholars and educators is dedicated to research, innovation and education that will
meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. NMT is recognized as a “Hispanic-serving institution” (HSI),
with more than 40 percent of its students identifying as Hispanic. New Mexico Tech is accredited by the
Higher Learning Commission as a doctoral degree-granting university.

All media inquiries, please contact Jay Ann Cox, Communications Specialist, 575-835-5260,
jay.cox@nmt.edu.

The Ghanaian students at New Mexico Tech welcomed representatives from KNUST, the leading STEM university in their home country, with a luncheon at Deju House.