KNUST Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rita Dickson and TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann sign a further cooperation agreement in Munich, reaffirming the successful partnership. Photo: Uli Benz / TUM
Prof. Juliane Winkelmann, TUM Executive Vice President for International Alliances and Alumni, pays a visit to the TUM campus in Garching with a high-level KNUST delegation led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rita Dickson. Photo: F. Vogl / TUM
Representatives from TUM and KNUST meet in Munich to exchange ideas on the topic of cervical cancer prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. f.l.t.r.: Dr. Luana Tanaka, Prof. Stefanie Klug, Prof. Andrea S. Winkler, Dr. Rose Tawiah Odotei Adjei, Prof. Juliane Winkelmann, Dr. Edward Tieru Dassah, Prof. Marion Kiechle, Dr. John Humphrey Amuasi, Gifty Baffour Awuah, Linda Liang, Vanessa Grünhagen. Photo: Uli Benz / TUM
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana is one of Africa’s leading universities. Building on many years of collaboration in the fields of water and energy research, environment, mobility, and global health, KNUST and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) share a close, sustainable, and strategic partnership.
During the TUM SEED Center Annual Symposium 2023 in Kumasi, Prof. Juliane Winkelmann, TUM Executive Vice President for International Alliances and Alumni, and Prof. Rita Dickson, KNUST Vice-Chancellor, signed the extension of the strategic partnership. In the same year, Prof. Dickson delivered the keynote address at TUM’s Dies Academicus, highlighting the deep and trusting relationship between the two institutions.
TUM.Africa Talent is a research exchange program that brings together talented and highly motivated doctoral candidates from the sub-Saharan Africa region with professors and doctoral candidates at TUM. With this program, launched in 2022, TUM aims to strengthen its long-term institutional relationships in the region and support a strong, growing TUM.Africa Talent network. For the latest information on TUM.Africa Talent, please visit the program website of the TUM Graduate School.
The exchange of students and staff between KNUST and TUM is actively supported through TUMexchange and the Maximilian Graf Montgelas Program, which are funded by Erasmus+ and the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Länder. Information on current mobility opportunities from TUM can be found on the respective program pages under Going abroad with TUM.
Since 2019, the TUM Global Incentive Fund has provided seed funding for international collaborations, specifically supporting joint research and teaching projects with KNUST. The program serves as an important foundation for further developing and strengthening the strategic partnership.
In October 2018, a delegation led by Prof. Juliane Winkelmann, TUM Executive Vice President for International Alliances and Alumni, formalized the strategic partnership for innovation sustainable development in Kumasi. This partnership strengthens and expands the collaboration between the two universities.
KNUST and TUM support existing and new project ideas within a common action framework comprising the key areas of teaching, research, and entrepreneurship.These existing collaborations as well as future projects will advance this partnership. In the long term, this partnership will contribute to a deeper understanding of global challenges and to developing technical and scientific solutions using entrepreneurial approaches.
Global Visiting Professor Program with extra grant option
Guest professors of KNUST coming to TUM through the Global Visiting Professor Program can apply for funding for accompanying doctoral candidates. The doctoral candidates must be enrolled at a university in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Exchange programs for administrative staff
TUM administrative staff can visit KNUST with the Maximilian Graf Montgelas Program and support the internationalization of TUM. Via the TUM Invited Experts in Administration funding, experts from KNUST can be invited to TUM.
TUM SEED Center
The TUM SEED Center aims to contribute to sustainable development by offering higher education and conducting research at the intersection of sustainable energies and entrepreneurship in the Global South. The TUM SEED Center collaborates closely with leading technical universities in Africa, India, Indonesia, and South America.
Responsible AI Network Africa
Together with KNUST, the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence at the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology launched the RAIN-Africa network, which explores the ethical and societal dimensions of AI. The goal is to connect researchers, focus on sustainable development, and foster interdisciplinary exchange through workshops.
TRANS-SAHARA
TRANS-SAHARA develops innovative agroforestry approaches based on the WEFE Nexus to support African communities in combating climate change. Pilot projects in Tunisia, Ghana, and Ethiopia will test sustainable resource use, advanced measurement methods, and new business models.
Global Health cooperation
The TUM Klinikum rechts der Isar (MRI) and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi collaborate with funding from the BMZ and the Else-Kröner-Fresenius Foundation. They join forces to strengthen the training of local healthcare professionals as well as research and patient care.
aCar Mobility
The concept of the electric utility vehicle aCar sustainably addresses the needs of the Sub-Saharan African population by bringing mobility to people in isolated rural regions, and improving their access to health care, information and education facilities. The project aCar mobility is funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation (BFS).
Africa meets Bavaria
Africa meets Bavaria is a two-year, Bavarian State Chancellery-funded project connecting Bavaria with Africa to foster entrepreneurial collaboration. It empowers young African tech talents to innovate locally, while enabling Bavarian companies to tap into emerging markets on the African continent.