The Regional Centre of Excellence for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (RCEES) participated in the 10th Africa Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) workshop in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from October 31 to November 3, 2023. The workshop was co-organized by the French Development Agency (AFD), the World Bank Group, and the Association of African Universities.
The ACE Impact project is a World Bank-funded initiative that supports African universities to develop and deliver high-quality postgraduate education and research in strategic areas. RCEES is one of the 46 ACE Impact centres in Africa, focusing on energy efficiency and sustainable energy. The 10th ACE Impact workshop brought together over 400 delegates from 23 countries, including vice-chancellors, project teams, subject matter experts, government representatives, and policy think tanks. The workshop theme was “Sustaining Progress and Celebrating a Decade of Change.”
The workshop featured a variety of plenary and parallel sessions on topics such as:
• Financial and operational sustainability of ACE Impact centres
• Implementation support for ACE Impact centres
• Best practices in postgraduate education and research
• The role of ACE Impact in transforming Africa’s higher education landscape
RCEES delegates actively participated in the workshop, sharing their experiences and lessons learned from the past decade of ACE Impact implementation. RCEES also presented its plans for the future, including its focus on developing sustainable energy solutions for Africa.
The 10th ACE Impact workshop was a valuable opportunity for RCEES to network with other ACE Impact centres, learn from best practices, and share its own experiences. The workshop also provided a platform for RCEES to showcase its achievements and its commitment to transforming Africa’s higher education landscape.
RCEES Centre Leader, Professor Eric Antwi Ofosu, was recognized by the World Bank for his exemplary leadership in the ACE Impact project. He was praised for his commitment to excellence, his dedication to the project, and his success in achieving significant results.
Prof. Ofosu was also joined at the workshop by other UENR representatives, including Vice-Chancellor Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako, Deputy Centre Leader Prof. Samuel Gyamfi, MEL Officer Samuel Akowuah Okyereh, Finance Officer Stephen Yaw Ntiamaoh, and Environmental Safeguards Officer Dr. Prince Antwi-Agyei.
