Engineering education for sustainable development in Africa
Engineering education makes a difference to industry and society, as the history of Switzerland and ETH Zurich shows. Following this creed, a new Master Programme in Engineering at Ashesi University in Ghana will promote the training of highly skilled engineers to support sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. We take a closer look at what is on offer for stakeholders.
Interview with Dr. Johann van der Merwe, Programme Manager Learning and Partnerships, ETH4D (ETH for Development)
What prompted this initiative and what are the goals?
Rapid industrial development in sub-Saharan Africa is resulting in an increased demand for qualified local engineers in this region. The aim of the initiative is to develop a new model in collaboration between ETH Zurich and local partner universities to promote tertiary engineering education that will deliver highly skilled and ethical leaders who can support sustainable industrialisation. Ashesi University in Ghana, with their strong focus on ethics, entrepreneurship and leadership, is an ideal partner, working closely with ETH Zurich and various Swiss companies with operations in Africa. The programme aims to attract the best students from across sub-Saharan Africa to ultimately result in a standalone programme that Ashesi University can run sustainably after ETH involvement ends.
Why should European companies engage in this programme?
Participating companies can benefit in multiple ways: Firstly, they have access to students who understand local aspects such as work ethics, society, needs for products etc. Secondly, they will have access to highly skilled local engineers, which is preferable to moving European engineers to Africa. Last, but not least, they get to know the students from an early stage and can build a relationship.
Can you elaborate on this?
Our industrial partners are involved in three different ways:
- Financially: An initial donation plus contributing to the programme’s scholarship fund to support up to four students per cohort (with five cohorts enrolled during the collaborative phase).
- Mentoring: Companies will act as industrial mentors to students during the entire course.
- Internship: In their last year of study, the students will do an internship, which ideally could lead to future employment.
What is new about this initiative?
ETH Zurich is not the only university that has entered a partnership with an African university. However, two aspects make this initiative unique: ETH Zurich will send lecturers to Ghana to teach block courses in tandem with their African colleagues, for two to three weeks every year. This will be equally rewarding for ETH Zurich and Ashesi University. Furthermore, the close involvement of industrial partners sets this initiative apart from others. So far, five companies have ensured their commitment to support the programme: LafargeHolcim, ABB, Bühler, Nestlé, and Barry Callebaut. It is a win-win situation for all parties involved.
What happens after the completion of the programme?
We hope that a lasting relationship will form with industrial partners so that they might continue to support the programme well beyond the involvement of ETH Zurich. Finally, we hope to scale the model to other programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, also partnering with other universities and focussing on other engineering disciplines in the future. As this is an ongoing project, we would welcome further industrial partners as they play a crucial role. At ETH4D, we are convinced that all people, organisations and businesses involved will benefit in many ways.
Contact / Links:
Dr. Johann van der Merwe, ETH4D
Ashesi-ETH Master in Engineering Programme initiative
Prof. Dr. Edoardo Mazza, programme director for ETH Zurich
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