The Vice-Chancellor of Ho Technical University (HTU), Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga, has called for increased institutional backing to enhance the research and leadership prospects of female STEM lecturers in Ghana’s Technical Universities.
Speaking at the opening session of the Writing Workshop for Female STEM Lecturers, held at the Association of African Universities (AAU) Secretariat in Accra, he underscored the pressing need for deliberate efforts to bridge the gender gap in academia.
Prof. Honyenuga noted that female lecturers in technical universities often struggle to attain leadership positions due to limited research output, stressing that targeted interventions such as mentorship and capacity-building are essential in addressing these challenges. He described the workshop as a significant step toward empowering female academics and urged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity, pledging HTU’s support for recommendations emerging from the initiative.
The workshop, forms part of the British Council Gender Equality Partnerships Project, being implemented by the AAU in partnership with Ho Technical University and the University of Nottingham (UoN). It is aimed at equipping female STEM lecturers with the skills and mentorship needed to advance in research and leadership.
The Secretary-General of AAU, in his address, reinforced the call for sustainable structures to elevate female STEM lecturers, emphasizing that research excellence must be inclusive and accessible. He encouraged participants to use the platform to refine their scholarly contributions and build confidence in academic publishing.
Mr. Richard A. Shiangbor of the British Council reaffirmed the British Council’s commitment to gender equity, noting that insights from the workshop would inform future policies aimed at expanding leadership opportunities for women in STEM.
The two-day workshop featured interactive sessions covering key topics such as understanding the contexts of international publications, navigating journal submissions, crafting compelling titles and abstracts, and developing research articles with mentorship support. Participants also benefited from hands-on writing exercises tailored to strengthen their academic publishing skills.
The writing workshop forms part of a broader initiative that includes mentorship programmes, leadership training, targeted research, and policy recommendations aimed at increasing female representation in STEM academia.
Through this initiative, HTU, AAU, and UoN reaffirm their commitment to research excellence and the empowerment of female educators in Ghana’s Technical Universities.