Lancaster University Ghana (LUG) marked its 9th Graduation Ceremony in Accra with a call to action for graduates to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), innovation, and entrepreneurship as tools to transform Ghana and the wider African continent.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana, challenged graduates to view AI not merely as entertainment but as a catalyst for socio-economic transformation.
“We are blessed with abundant resources and talent, yet we face challenges. These challenges do not call for despair but rather a chance to embrace technology for innovation,” she said.
Her remarks were echoed by Ashwin Gautama, Chief Financial Officer of the Transnational Academic Group, Middle East, who urged graduates and Ghana’s youth to cultivate curiosity and enterprise. “Curious minds are always enterprising towards development. The more curious you are, the more you understand diverse ways to solve problems,” he noted.
The ceremony also celebrated Lancaster’s commitment to nurturing globally competitive graduates equipped with 21st-century skills. This year, LUG strengthened its place as a leading African institution with the launch of the Emerging Technologies Centre, offering world-class training in robotics and AI. Provost and CEO Dr. Emmanuel Arthur also highlighted the introduction of a moot court for the Law programme, and the forthcoming Innovation and Incubation Hub to support young entrepreneurs.
Awards were presented to recognize outstanding student achievements. Adeline Anyeley Aryeh-Sowah, this year’s valedictorian, received the Chancellor’s Medal. The prestigious Founders’ Award was won by Halle Akosua Asantewaa Dotse, while the Alumni Award was presented to Peter Onisha Peregbakumo, an accomplished graduate of Lancaster University, Ghana.
With graduates representing Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, the event reflected Lancaster’s Pan-African spirit and its mission to develop change-makers who will shape their home countries and the world. Since its establishment in 2013, LUG has produced over 500 alumni who are thriving in sectors such as telecommunications, finance, education, oil and gas, and public service.
As Lancaster University Ghana continues to expand access to globally respected British education, its commitment remains clear: to prepare graduates who are not only career-ready but also capable of leading Africa into a future driven by technology, creativity, and resilience.
