Education Sub-Sahara Africa (ESSA)
has announced the appointment of Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann to its Board of
Trustees.
According to a statement released on
Wednesday, with extensive experience as a Ghanaian academic, biomedical engineer,
and renowned scholar, Prof Kaufmann will play a pivotal role in building upon
ESSA’s growing track record of achieving a positive impact on some of the
continent’s biggest challenges in Education.
Commenting
on the appointment, ESSA’s Chair Patrick Dunne, said, "We warmly welcome Professor Effah Kaufmann to our board. Her
invaluable expertise and insights into the challenges faced by universities in
Ghana and across Africa and her reputation as an innovator and thought leader
will be huge assets as we continue to grow our reach and impact. As one of the
leading female academics on the continent, she is also an inspirational role
model.’’
Professor
Effah Kaufmann currently serves as the Associate Professor and Founding Head of
the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Ghana. She is
also known for hosting the National Science and Math Quiz. Her extensive
teaching experience and contributions to the establishment of various
departments exemplify her dedication to education.
We
were honoured to have Professor Effah Kaufmann join ESSA's recent Industry
Roundtable discussion on the transition from school to work and the launch of
our report titled "What Next?
Enhancing African Students' Transition to Employment through Effective Career
Services."
She emphasised the crucial collaboration required among
government, industry, and academia to bridge the gap between students and
employment. According to Professor Effah Kaufmann, industry must provide
students with greater and improved opportunities to equip them for the job
market after their studies.
Speaking
about her appointment, Professor Effah Kaufmann emphasised ESSA's commitment to
showcasing world-class research from Africa. She said, "I am particularly impressed by ESSA's
evidence-based and pioneering work and excited to join the Board. Whether it is
helping to solve the faculty crisis, enabling African research to have its
rightful place in influencing policy and shaping global thinking or the work
that ESSA is doing on employment it is making a significant impact in improving
education outcomes for young people."
She
added, "Collaborating with my fellow trustees,
I aim to support ESSA in deepening conversations and further increasing its
impact. Together, we can make a tangible difference in improving education
across Africa."
Lucy
Heady, ESSA’s CEO concluded by saying, “Professor Elsie
Kaufmann joins a highly engaged and diverse board who provide the right balance
of oversight and support to our team. We are already greatly enjoying her
combination of strategic savvy and pragmatic grounded approach which is a great
fit with our values: Evidence-based, Solutions focussed, Strengthening trust, and Always learning.”
