ISSER UG

📢 ISSER's 2025 Annual Report is out!

This is not merely a chronicle of activities from the past year -- it is an account of how we hold ourselves accountable to our mission and to the communities and stakeholders we serve.

From research that shapes policy to training the next generation of development thinkers, every page reflects our commitment to knowledge for development.

Read the full report 👉 https://bit.ly/4a1RSJ5

Last week, we hosted doctoral students from universities across Ghana for the fifth edition of the Research School on Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction, a hands-on methodological training and interdisciplinary learning programme.

We extend our appreciation to our experienced and passionate faculty for their commitment to strengthening research knowledge, skills, and capacity among the next generation of scholars and development practitioners.

More details soon.
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University of Ghana, Uppsala University Lund University ISSER UG Dzifa Torvikey

Reminder: Applications are open for the 2026 ISSER Professional Short Courses Programme.

📌 Apply now for the first course — Executive Leadership Programme in Monitoring and Evaluation for Public and Private Sectors
📌Course Dates: 1–12 June 2026
📌Application Deadline: 25 May 2026

Facilitated by ISSER Adjunct Fellow, Dr. David Sarfo Ameyaw, a globally recognised Monitoring and Evaluation expert with over 30 years’ experience in evaluation, impact assessment, and development practice, the M&E course offers practical learning grounded in real-world expertise and applied professional insight.

📌Apply early, via https://isser.ug.edu.gh/

📸 Photo: Dr. Ameyaw (4th from right) and the ISSER’s Short Course team with officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Delivery Unit, taken after the successful completion of the one-week M&E training in October 2025.

We cherish these moments of academic exchange.

Our sincere appreciation to Prof. Robert Lensink for a stimulating presentation at yesterday’s . His insights sparked rich discussion and deepened perspectives among participants.

We are equally grateful to our faculty for their active engagement, and to our students for their enthusiasm and thoughtful contributions throughout the session. ISSER remains committed to creating spaces for intellectual exchange that bring together our community and distinguished scholars from Ghana and around the world for meaningful academic and development conversations.

Stay tuned for upcoming seminars and join us as we continue these conversations.

| University Of Ghana,Legon Nana Amma Asante-Poku

Happening today. Join us

🕑 T2:00 PM GMT
📍 Hybrid event
💻 Join virtually via Microsoft Teams: d90769c3-5aec-47f6-88f6-7613e723744d@941bbf5f-f2c0-4875-a24c-6907865d251a" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d90769c3-5aec-47f6-88f6-7613e723744d@941bbf5f-f2c0-4875-a24c-6907865d251a

Trade is one of Ghana's most powerful levers for growth — but only if we get the conditions right.

On Thursday, May 7, ISSER partnered with the World Bank Group and the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) to host "Rethinking Trade for Growth and Jobs in Ghana" under the Transformation Dialogues Webinar series.

The event opened with remarks from Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and Seynabou Sakho, Regional Director of the World Bank Group. Hon. Ofosu-Adjare commended the organisers for convening timely and strategic conversations around trade and industrialisation.

ISSER Director, Prof. Robert Darko Osei joined a distinguished panel featuring Leonardo Iacovone (World Bank Group), David Gowu (Business Outsourcing Services Association Ghana), Goosie Tanoh (Office of the President), and Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur (Ghana Export Promotion Authority).

Prof. Osei made a compelling case for the link between trade, growth, and poverty reduction — noting that countries which trade more intensively tend to be less poor and create more jobs. He outlined key barriers holding Ghana back — high tax rates, costly access to credit, infrastructure and logistics gaps, non-tariff barriers, and unreliable energy supply — and called for sustained investment in research and evidence-based policy as the foundation for competitive, inclusive, trade-led growth.

The event brought together policymakers, researchers, development partners, and private sector leaders to explore how Ghana can leverage trade to drive industrialisation, export diversification, and sustainable job creation.

Launched in February 2026, the Transformation Dialogues Webinar Series is a joint initiative by ACET, the World Bank, and ISSER, designed to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and promote collaboration on economic transformation in Ghana and Africa.

| Robert Darko Osei World Bank Ghana Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry, Motai- Ghana

We wrap up the week reflecting on the successful hosting of the 2026 Meeting of the Working Group in African Political Economy (WGAPE) at the ISSER Conference Facility. The meeting convened scholars for rich and insightful discussions on key issues in African political economy, with a highlight being Prof. Ama Panin’s thought-provoking keynote on religion, giving, and pathways to mental health and wellbeing.

We are grateful to the WGAPE team for a highly enriching convening, and we deeply appreciate the active participation of the ISSER community—a reflection of our commitment to convenings that deepen academic thought, foster collaboration, and strengthen research networks.

Grateful to all participants and guests for contributing to a successful and impactful meeting at ISSER.

We are delighted to host Robert Lensink from the University of Groningen, Netherlands, for an upcoming ISSER Seminar on “Beyond Subsidies: Psychological Constraints and Women’s Adoption of Nutritional Seeds in Ethiopia.”

Prof. Lensink is a leading scholar in development finance, financial inclusion, and poverty reduction, and we are excited to welcome and engage with him on his latest research.

📍 Hybrid event

💻 Online via Microsoft Teams:
Join here 👉d90769c3-5aec-47f6-88f6-7613e723744d@941bbf5f-f2c0-4875-a24c-6907865d251a" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d90769c3-5aec-47f6-88f6-7613e723744d@941bbf5f-f2c0-4875-a24c-6907865d251a

Students, researchers, policymakers, and the public are warmly invited to attend.

Pleased to share photos from session one of this year’s ISSER Development Training Workshop, where our MA students present their thesis proposals to faculty, opening their work to critique, feedback, and rigorous intellectual engagement.

The presentations reflect students’ growing understanding of development issues, research methods, and effective communication -- an important step in strengthening their capacity to tackle real-world challenges.

A heartfelt thank you to our faculty for their strong presence and mentorship.

Congratulations to our students on this milestone, and best wishes as you continue your academic journey at ISSER.

It's a milestone!

We are pleased to invite you to a PhD Viva by Golda Anambane of ISSER.

Her thesis topic: Long-Term Care Entrepreneurship in Ghana: Nature, Motivations, and Outcomes.
Thursday, 7th May 2026
2:00 – 5:00 PM GMT

Be part of the conversation shaping research and policy on long-term care in Ghana.
Join here: https://bit.ly/4eP7GlH

PhDViva