In a powerful gathering that underscored the transformative role of education advisors, Lancaster University Ghana hosted 33 counselors and recruitment agents on its campus in Tantra Hill for the 2025 Agents and Counselors’ Workshop, an annual event that continues to redefine what it means to guide students toward meaningful futures.
This year’s session, held on Friday, August 1, was led by Professor Cynthia Forson, Deputy Provost of Lancaster University Ghana, under the theme “Guiding Futures: Empowering Students Towards University.” But it wasn’t just about admissions or forms. Instead, the workshop called on participants to reimagine their roles, not just as recruiters, but as mentors, advocates, and navigators in a complex educational world.
“University isn’t just about academics,” said Prof. Forson during her keynote. “It’s a gateway to critical thinking, leadership, and lifelong opportunity. But too many students are shut out, not by their potential, but by barriers we must help them navigate.
The workshop explored key issues affecting university access in West Africa, including financial strain, family expectations, and cultural perceptions about employability. Counselors and agents were encouraged to move past transactional advising and embrace more empathetic, student-centered guidance.
Breakout sessions gave participants the space to reflect on real-world challenges and triumphs in student advising. In one group activity, attendees co-created a Mini Student Guide, offering practical, age-specific advice for students in Forms 1–3 and addressing common concerns like affordability, self-doubt, and pressure to follow specific career paths.
For Eugene Amoako of MCS International School, the experience was eye-opening.
“The workshop gave us deeper insight into what our students face when considering university. I now feel better equipped to guide them with both confidence and compassion.”
As a UK Top 10 university delivering a globally respected British degree right here in Ghana, Lancaster University Ghana sees this annual event as part of its broader mission to increase access and equity in higher education. It’s a commitment that extends beyond its walls, to every school, home, and student navigating the path to university.
