Faculty and staff from LECERP and SICS at the meeting.
The Legon Centre for Education Research and Policy (LECERP) and the School of Information and Communication Studies (SICS) at the University of Ghana have explored opportunities for collaboration to strengthen the communication, dissemination and policy uptake of education research in Ghana and beyond during an introductory meeting held on Wednesday, 30 September 2026
In her welcome address, Prof. Abena Yeboah-Banin, Dean of SICS, explained that the meeting was intended to enable the two units to understand each other's work and identify areas where expertise could be synergised. She noted that while the School had traditionally developed partnerships beyond the University, there was significant potential for stronger collaboration with other units within the University.
Prof. Yeboah-Banin subsequently outlined SICS's expertise in communication, information studies, media and public engagement, development communication, digital communication, media and information literacy, and gender and inequality. She indicated that LECERP also has experience in consultancy, research, training and capacity building, presenting opportunities for SICS to collaborate with the Centre in these areas, particularly in strengthening research communication, dissemination and stakeholder engagement.
She further highlighted the potential role of the Department of Information Studies in supporting projects involving data management, information systems and digitisation.
Giving an overview of LECERP, Dr. Clement Adamba, Director of LECERP, highlighted the Centre's focus on research, training and capacity building, and advocacy and policy engagement. He explained that the Centre's work extends beyond generating research evidence to ensuring that findings reach teachers, parents, communities, practitioners and policymakers.
Dr. Adamba noted that effective communication is increasingly important to research uptake, particularly as research funders place greater emphasis on demonstrating how evidence can influence policy and practice. He highlighted the need for communication strategies that translate research evidence into accessible and useful forms for different audiences.
He also highlighted LECERP's engagement with funders and ongoing projects that require stronger integration of communication and data management. In particular, he discussed a data harmonisation project involving the alignment of data systems, shared definitions of indicators and aspects of digitisation. Dr. Adamba suggested that collaboration with the Department of Information Studies could enable LECERP to draw on relevant expertise within the University to support such initiatives.
In brief remarks, Dr. Innocent Agbelie, Research Fellow at LECERP, welcomed the proposed areas of collaboration, particularly the School's expertise in media engagement and communication. He noted that stronger media networks could help LECERP improve the visibility of its research and strengthen engagement with media organisations and wider publics.
Dr. Aurelia Ayisi, Head, Department of Communication Studies, indicated that the proposed collaboration would be mutually beneficial, as it would create opportunities for faculty members to extend their expertise through research, consultancy and training, while broadening the School's partnerships and funding opportunities.
The discussion provided an opportunity for the two units to share their areas of expertise and identify potential areas of mutual interest and collaboration. The meeting further explored opportunities for joint research, creating possibilities for interdisciplinary studies that bring together education and communication perspectives. The two units also discussed the potential for jointly developing research proposals and grants from the conceptualisation stage, allowing communication and research uptake considerations to be integrated into projects from the outset.
The engagement reflects a shared commitment by both units to leverage expertise within the University to strengthen interdisciplinary research, improve the communication of evidence and contribute to more effective engagement between research, policy and practice.
Present at the meeting were members from LECERP including Dr. Martin Wiredu Agyekum, Research Fellow, Mr. John Baptiste Akanwake, Principal Research Assistant, Ms. Justina Addai, Principal Research Assistant, and Ms. Audrey Djarbeng, Administrative Secretary and Mr. Kwame Klevor, Senior Administrative Assistant, SICS.