Palermo Municipality Delegation Visits Kumasi Technical University to Foster Collaboration
Picture: The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Dwomoh (seated 3rd from left) with the delegation from Palermo Municipality and some senior members of the University.
A seven-member delegation from the Palermo Municipality in Italy, led by Giulia Argiroff, (Municipal Councillor), paid a courtesy call on Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) on their visit to Kumasi. The delegation engaged with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Dwomoh and the Management team to explore collaborative opportunities between the two entities. The meeting which was held in the University Council Chamber served as a platform to discuss potential partnerships, share successes and challenges, and identify areas of mutual interest. Key issues discussed included staff and student exchange programmes, cultural heritage conservation, and strategies to promote artisanal arts and crafts.
The Vice-Chancellor, in his welcome address, gave an overview of KsTU, its academic programmes, and the University's vision of bridging the gap between industry and academia. He expressed optimism about the potential partnership, emphasising KsTU’s readiness to collaborate on initiatives that align with its mission to drive technical innovation and development.
Speaking on behalf of the Palermo Municipality delegation, Giulia Argiroff highlighted the importance of building sustainable relationships with institutions like KsTU. She noted that their visit was part of the broader Technical Cooperation and Cultural Partnership Project (TCSPP) which is a three-year EU-funded initiative aimed at leveraging cultural heritage to foster urban development.
The delegation included Tiziana D’Alessandro, Municipal Councillor of Palermo Municipality; Daniela Prinzivalli, Operative Unit Strategic Planning – Cultural Area - Cultural Office, Palermo Municipality; Gianfranca Diliberto, Operative Unit Strategic Planning – Cultural Area - Cultural Office, Palermo Municipality; Dr. Francesco Campagna, Ghana's Honorary Councillor in Sicily Region/President of Ghana-Sicily Business Forum; Antonella Tirrito, Ghana-Sicily Business Forum as well as Marzia Raimondo, CISS-International South-South Cooperation/House of Cooperation.
The delegation was accompanied by Mr. Isaac Aidoo, Project Coordinator, TCSPP, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and they were received by Dr. Bismark Quarku Parker, Head of the Centre for Social Sciences and Research at the Institute of Research Innovation & Development (IRID-KsTU).
The collaboration discussions emphasised areas such as capacity-building workshops for artisanal arts and crafts, enhancing cultural heritage conservation, and developing strategies to leverage cultural tourism for urban development. It was also noted that this partnership could strengthen ties between KsTU and Palermo and has the Potential to foster knowledge-sharing and innovation.
In addition to the meeting, the delegation toured some sites of significant landmarks in Kumasi to familiarise themselves with the region's cultural and historical heritage.
