Ghana
University of Ghana
About the University
University of Ghana is the oldest, largest, and most diverse campus community in Ghana. Located in Legon, Accra, it was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast, an affiliate college of the University of London. Its student population comes from 87 countries, with faculty members from 22 countries.
The university aims to produce the next generation of thought leaders to drive national development.
There are four colleges: the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Humanities. The university also has several research centers. Priority research focuses include climate change, malaria, food production and processing, and development policy.
Faculty are often involved in international collaborations in policymaking and development. The university's commitment to national growth makes it an ideal academic fit for collaborations around public health, development, and the arts. Many Cornell alumni are currently faculty at the University of Ghana.
About the Student Experience
University of Ghana designs tailored programs for undergraduate experiential learning combined with on-campus and beyond-campus coursework and historical and cultural exploration.
International students can participate in research-based opportunities, internships, and short-term programs. Learn more about international students at the University of Ghana.
Ghana to the World is a multiweek program where international students learn about Ghana through field visits and classes on language and culture.
The University of Ghana offers various short-term programs with opportunities for internships and community service projects.
IAD Africa Summer Internship Program
The Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies Institute for African Development (IAD) Africa Summer Research Internship Program reinforces academic learning by providing undergraduates the opportunity to actively engage and conduct research with individuals and organizations directly involved in policy and program development in Africa. Learn more about the program.
The University of Ghana's Institute of African Studies (IAS), established in 1961, is one of the oldest African Studies centers on the continent and has long-standing connections to IAD.
Cornell Faculty Lead: Paula Cohen
Professor of Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine
Director, Center for Reproductive Genomics
Associate Vice Provost for Life Sciences
Paula Cohen's research focuses on the regulation of meiosis in mammals, with special emphasis on how meiotic recombination is controlled. Her lab's focus is primarily on the role of various DNA repair pathways, most notably the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) family. Initially characterized by their function in repair of DNA, and their role in the etiology of human colorectal cancer, the MMR family is important for genome stability in a variety of organisms.
Research Themes
There is a focus on sustainable development, particularly green energy's relation to mineral resources and mining, along with the geological implications and crustal evolution. This couples with an emphasis on land change and urbanization, migration patterns, and relations between the society and the state.
Hubs provide a collaborative platform for thematic research areas based on Cornell's and our Global Hubs partners' academic strengths and local contexts. The University of Ghana's research centers are focused on medical research, tropical pharmacology, population studies, environmental studies, and economics. Research themes being explored include:
- Inequalities and Social Justice: The African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research undertakes studies on inequality in Ghana.
- Migration and Mobilities: Opened in 2006, the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) is the only research/teaching organization focused on migration in Sub-Saharan Africa. CMS has facilitated the formulation of national policies on migration in Ghana and other countries.
- One Health: The university has numerous research programs concentrated on health, including a partnership with Imperial College London and other leading universities in the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Canada, and China on "Pathways to Equitable Healthy Cities."
- Sustainable Development: The Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies is a crucial research institute focusing on training and capacity-building in climate change and sustainable development.
Learn About Hubs Research Themes
About the Location
Accra, Ghana
Located on the western coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the equator, Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African nation to achieve independence from British colonial rule. Tropical forests cover more than 10 percent of Ghana’s total land area, but land-use conversions for large-scale and plantation farming threaten these biodiversity hotspots. The capital of Ghana is the coastal city of Accra, with a population of more than four million. The university's Great Hall forms the northern border of Accra and is in the suburb of Legon.
