UCC to Host Association of Commonweath Universities Summer School 2020
The Association of Commonwealth Universities is pleased to announce the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana, will host the ACU Summer School in August 2020, focusing on the theme of ‘The Migration generation? Climate, youth and refugees’.
A week-long programme of lectures, field trips, and group project work will bring together students from across the Commonwealth to examine themes linked to migration, including:
- Climate change
- Youth labour market participation
- Social media
- Health
- Intergovernmental partnerships
UCC will provide subject-specific expertise from the university’s Centre for Migration Studies and other departments; this will be complemented by its physical location close to the port of Takoradi – a focal point for young migrants seeking to reach Europe. The programme will also be enhanced by international expert speakers drawn from ACU’s network of more than 500 member institutions in 50 countries.
Migration is a global issue and students will gain multidisciplinary knowledge and perspectives through the innovative programme, which can then be applied to their area of expertise within their home countries and beyond.
Consola Evans, Head of Membership for the ACU, said: ‘We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Cape Coast to deliver next year’s Summer School. Focusing on the theme of migration and refugee studies, the Summer School will showcase the university’s wealth of knowledge and expertise in this area, ensuring students from across the Commonwealth are able to develop their skills and knowledge and leave with new global connections and perspectives. We look forward to bringing the event to Ghana for the first time!’
Professor Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, Vice-Chancellor of UCC, said: ‘It is my pleasure to welcome all participants to the University of Cape Coast. Ghana, which occupies a unique place within the West African sub-region as a destination of choice for refugees. Given that Cape Coast is the foremost tourism hub in Ghana, I am optimistic that you will encounter an experience of a life time. Akwaaba! (Welcome).’
More information
The ACU Summer School launched in 2011 and is hosted by a different ACU member institution each year. Previous summer schools have been held in Rwanda, Canada and Hong Kong, covering themes such as the Sustainable Development Goals, urban studies, and the environmental humanities. In this article participants from Summer School 2017, who travelled to Bath Spa University in the UK, discuss the impact the Summer School has had on their lives.
The Summer School is open to postgraduate and final-year undergraduate students from Commonwealth universities. Each year, approximately 50% of participants are awarded competitive ACU-funded bursaries, which are targeted at students from member universities who have not previously had the opportunity to travel overseas.
Applications for the 2019 Summer School will open in November 2019. To register your interest, please email summerschool@acu.ac.uk
