A delegation from the Royal Academy of Engineering Visits KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP)

The KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP) hosted a delegation from the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) to explore potential collaborations and share insights on innovation-driven engineering education.

The KEEP team, led by Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Project Lead for KEEP, warmly welcomed the delegation and provided an overview of the project’s vision. He explained that KEEP is a centre of excellence at the College of Engineering, KNUST, strategically focusing on digital development technologies and energy. Prof. Kponyo also highlighted key thematic areas under the Responsible AI Lab (RAIL) and the KNUST College of Engineering Innovation Lab, showcasing some of the cutting-edge research initiatives undertaken by the team.

Ms. Rachel Ng, the Programme Manager for the  Academy’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, delivered an engaging presentation on RAEng’s mission and impact. She emphasised that the Academy is a growing community that supports African businesses that drive transformative innovation, improving millions of lives. Rachel further stated that RAEng provides bespoke eight-month support packages for early-stage startups through tailored programs. It has developed a structured innovation pathway to guide entrepreneurs at every stage of their development journey.

The meeting featured in-depth discussions on various RAIL thematic areas and ongoing projects.

The team later met students at the College of Engineering Innovation Centre, where students presented some start-ups and innovative projects they worked on. Rachel and her colleague, Michele, later jointly presented on the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for engineering students and faculty interested in supporting the commercialisation of engineering innovation.  The programme awards commercialisation support to ambitious African innovators developing scalable engineering solutions to local challenges, demonstrating the importance of engineering as an enabler of improved quality of life and economic development. Every year, 16 entrepreneurs, ‘the shortlist’, are selected to participate in an eight-month, hybrid business training and mentoring programme, before pitching their business to a live public audience at a showcase final pitching event. A recipient of the award, Charles Ofori Antipem, an alumnus of the College of Engineering, shared his experiences on the programme.