High Level Visit by University of Cape Coast (Cape Coast- GHANA) To University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI-USA) Collaboration between UCC and URI (January 26- February, 1 2016)

  Objective of the visit:   The University of Rhode Island (URI) is presently hosting a high level delegation of five persons from the University of Cape Coast (UCC-Ghana) led by the Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Domwini D. Kuupole. The purpose of the visit is to further expand the development of the existing formal partnership between UCC and URI in areas of marine fisheries, aquaculture and coastal resources. Other members of the UCC delegation are Prof. Ernest L. Okorley, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, Director of the Centre for International Education (CIE), Prof. Johnson Boampong, Dean, School of Biological Sciences and Dr. Denis Aheto, Head, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and Project Director of the USAID/UCC Fisheries and Coastal Management Project. The delegation met with the President of URI, Prof. David M. Dooley and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Donald H. DeHayes, the Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Nasser H. Zawia and the Director of the Coastal Resources Centre (CRC) Dr. Anton Post as well as other Deans and faculty members at URI.   The two institutions have received funding from the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) to implement various programs in marine fisheries and coastal management and to offer opportunities for collaboration and exchange of expertise.   The CRC of the Graduate School of Oceanography is implementing a five year project in Ghana (2015-2019) funded by the United States Agency of International Development, named Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP).   And   The DFAS of the School of Biological Sciences is implementing a five year project (2015-2019) funded by the United States Agency of International Development, named Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project (FCMCBSP).   The specific objective of the trip is to promote the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between UCC and URI on March 5, 2015 and the subsequent MoU between the URI-Coastal Resources Center (CRC) and the UCC-Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS) under review and consideration.     Program of the visit:   The delegation are discussing avenues of implementation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the following areas:  

1. Development of a short term students exchange program between UCC and URI. The program will allow UCC graduate students currently enrolled in PhD programs in marine fisheries, aquaculture and coastal resources management to spend up to one semester at URI to audit classes and/or conduct research in specialised projects in their areas of studies. Similarly, a sister program will be developed for URI graduate students to do the same at UCC.
2. Development of an undergraduate exchange program (J-term). The program will allow URI and UCC undergraduate students to visit Ghana and the United States respectively and to learn about the respective cultures and environments. The program will allow beneficiary students to explore marine fisheries and coastal management issues in West Africa and the United States and help them to better understand the challenges and successes of sustainable resources management within a global context.  
3. Development of a short-term training for professional development of UCC faculty and staff. The professors and research scholars (post-docs) from UCC can attend short term trainings offered by URI (i.e. climate change adaptation training offered to UCC by URI-GSO-CRC).
4. Development of joint research development and extension programs and exchange of information and access to peer-reviewed scientific material.
5. Other areas of cooperation in the field of marine fisheries, aquaculture and coastal resources.

Source: DFAS, UCC