Professor Stephen John Mitchual, Vice‑Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), addressed PhD candidates at the Inter‑University Conference for Doctoral Studies (IUCDS) held in Lomé, Togo, on 11 November 2026. He said that the prevailing funding conditions in Ghanaian universities make it difficult to secure sponsorship for students on PhD programmes.
During the orientation ceremony, the professor urged resource persons, thesis supervisors and examiners to intensify their academic support for doctoral students, stressing the need to develop research skills and make effective use of available training. “I would like therefore to call on all PhD students participating in the orientation to redouble their efforts in developing their research skills bearing in mind that they will be taken through research process so that the vision of the founding members of the Doctoral School will be realized,” he added.
Mitchual also appealed to invited experts and examiners at the University of Lomé to guide students through the research processes outlined in the programme. He highlighted the importance of collaboration among partner institutions to address the shortage of well‑trained academics and improve teaching and research quality.
Further, the Vice‑Chancellor advocated establishing a Research, Innovation and Staff Development Fund (RISDF) among partner universities to support research activities, staff development and doctoral studies. He cited UEW’s own RISDF as an example of an initiative designed to improve the university’s research culture and create an enabling environment for groundbreaking research.
The speech was read on Mitchual’s behalf by Prof. Awaisu Imurana Braimah, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at UEW.
IUCDS brings together partner universities to promote collaborative research, staff development, doctoral training and the exchange of academic expertise. The call for enhanced funding and support comes amid growing concerns that limited resources could stall the progress of Ghana’s next generation of scholars.
