GIMPA, PMI-Ghana unite to translate academia to industry

To disabuse the notion that there is a disconnect between academia and industry,the Ghana Indtitute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has signed a memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Project Management Institute, Ghana chapter(PMI,Ghana chapter).

At a ceremony which saw the historic signing of the duo to enable the smooth transfer of classroom knowledge to the field, has the potential of churning quality students into the field market.

The event which came off last Tuesday at GIMPA on August 1,2023 in Accra was to ensure that industry reflects academia in terms of transfering theory to practical on the field of work. Speaking in an interview with the President of the Project Management Institute, Ghana Chapter, Mr. Frank Owusu Asamoah underscored the urgent need for such collaborations to ensure that students are well trained and prepared for the job market.

He said the long-standing narrative of perceived disconnect between academia and industry will be a thing of the past with the coming into force of the initiative.

The narrative which has suggested that there is a vast variance between what is learnt in the classroom to what is on the field.

But, Mr. Frank Owusu Asamoah assured that the birth of the initiative is setting the tone for a new dawn and swift in paradigm where best practices will be brought to bear on the field of work.

The PMI,Ghana President indicated that the marriage between his outfit and GIMPA was a historic one owing to the fact that end of July,2023 marked 12 solid years of their existence in Ghana with over 1500 membership and certification. He further said that his outfit does not work in a vacuum but centered on research-driven approach.

Being one of the 306 branches globally, it has the expertise to execute the task. Corroborated by research which says by 2030, Africa alone will need about 25 million project managers, a concern he said the initiative has come in handy to address.

According to him, his outfit is committed to delivering on the terms of engagement to ensure that the desired results are achieved.

Talking about measures to ensure that best practices were adhered to, the PMI, Ghana President said being a member of his outfit, it is incumbent on each member to ensure best practices or else one would be called to order.

According to him, the partnership indicates that the industry has met academia where best practices will be brought to bear. According to the Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration(GIMPA), Mr. Kwaku Bonsu, the signing ceremony is indicative of their goal to integrate what they teach in the classroom with what is in the field of work.

The elated Rector revealed that the direct benefit the nation will derive from their union will be the quality of students the school to be churned into the field taking best practices as a hallmark.