This is Africa!

The IAESTE summer Board meeting was held in Kumasi, Ghana from 9-11 July. The invitation came from Dr. Ebenezer Belford from  IAESTE Ghana, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). IAESTE Ghana is one of the best-performing committee in Africa, serving 100 incoming & outgoing students each year.

According to the University World News: Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to continue to experience strong growth in enrolments as more and more countries in the region make advances in strengthening their national systems of education and attain higher completion rates in secondary education. Enrolments in Africa are expected to increase from 7.4 million in 2015 to 8.8 million by 2030 and 21.7 million by 2040.

“As an international association, it is important that we are able to meet and better understand our members in different continents all over the world. Today we are present in nine African countries, we have to find the way how to catch up with the education development of tomorrow  - says prof. Bernard Baeyens, IAESTE President..

Africa has huge potential for IAESTE and we held excellent discussions with prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso, (Vice-Chancellor of KNUST) and prof. Isaac Dontwi, the Board Chair of the IAESTE Ghana Board and members. . A highlight of the first day was also a meeting with IAESTE trainees who are doing their internship in Kumasi right now and a very committed team of volunteers.

Africa is sometimes not the first choice for most of our students. However it has a lot to offer not only in the cultural fields but also in some technology niches. But we have to help them to be better known certainly for all their cultural and economical wealth. This includes encouraging foreign employers to accept African IAESTE trainees for internships and understanding the benefits they bring.

A big thank you to IAESTE Ghana team and the KNUST for making us so welcome and providing with us with an excellent environment for the meeting.