Early Career Women Scholars Workshop held in Accra

This event was held as a DAAD Alumni Event. DAAD Alumni Events are bi- or multi-lateral events that bring together various alumni groups as well as scientific, political, social, cultural, and economic institutions for the purpose of topical or scientific exchange and networking. These events also foster collaboration and relationships between the alumni with Germany and support the exchange of experiences between alumni and prospective students as well as future scholarship holders. The DAAD is also particularly interested in supporting events that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The workshop was aimed at providing an opportunity for early-career scholars to enhance their research development, dissemination, and visibility skills and also promote exchange between junior and senior academics on career advancement and navigating career challenges. It was hoped that the event would also serve as a basis for a mentorship program.

One of the highlights of the event was a Panel Discussion on “Work-life balance/Career advancement and navigating career challenges”. On the panel were Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana and also the Guest of Honour at the event, Prof. Mansah Prah, a retired professor from the University of Cape Coast and Prof. Benedicta Y. Fosu-Mensah an associate professor and a DAAD Alumnus from the University of Ghana. The session was moderated by Dr. Nikkita Dede Adjirakor, an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Ghana.

The panel discussion was very engaging where both online and in-person participants interacted with the panelists who took their turn in sharing some person experiences as they navigated their academic career.

Apart from the panel discussion, the event also offered participants a coaching/mentoring session between established career scholars and early career scholars on professional development.

The entire 2-day workshop was welcomed as a great success by a good number of participants and certainly, a follow-up on the mentoring of early career scholars is envisaged.