The BR Institute and the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday, July 6, 2026. This agreement aims to significantly expand entrepreneurship training, deepen innovation, and strengthen industry collaboration for students. The partnership will directly create practical opportunities for students to transform their business ideas into successful enterprises.
This collaboration between BR Institute and UPSA will strengthen entrepreneurship education and innovation development. It explicitly targets equipping students with practical business development skills, mentorship, and real-world market exposure. This move helps young people move beyond theoretical knowledge by connecting academic learning with practical enterprise development.
This initiative fits within Ghana's broader economic narrative of tackling youth unemployment and encouraging self-employment. The government and various institutions have increasingly focused on entrepreneurship as a key driver for economic diversification and job creation. Such partnerships are crucial for building a resilient economy and reducing reliance on traditional job markets.
Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, UPSA’s Vice-Chancellor, stressed the importance of these efforts. He stated, “entrepreneurship is an essential pillar of national development.” He emphasized the need to equip students with a mindset and practical skills to create businesses, rather than solely depending on traditional employment opportunities.
This partnership will allow students greater access to mentorship, innovation support, and industry networks. It will also provide opportunities for entrepreneurship funding. The collaboration includes participation in the UPSA-1000 Initiative, a flagship programme under the Ghana Entrepreneurship Conference. This initiative brings together students, investors, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to showcase new ideas and scalable business solutions developed within the university community. This framework will expose students to practical business experiences, helping them refine ideas and validate business models for commercialization. This strategic alliance represents a significant step towards creating a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem for young Ghanaians.