Prof. Washington Yotto Ochieng of Imperial College London opened the 2026 Aggrey–Fraser–Guggisberg Memorial Lectures held on March 12, 2026, with a compelling lecture on the future of sustainable cities and the engineering approaches required to build resilient urban environments.
In his presentation, Prof. Ochieng examined what sustainability means for modern cities, emphasizing that effective urban development depends on understanding the complex interactions between people, infrastructure, technology, and governance. He noted that addressing the challenges facing rapidly growing urban centres requires coordinated action across multiple sectors.
Prof. Ochieng highlighted the importance of multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary collaboration, calling for stronger partnerships among academia, industry, government, and society to design solutions for long-standing urban challenges.
He also drew attention to initiatives aimed at strengthening engineering education and research capacity across Africa, including the Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEPSA) programme. According to him, such initiatives promote collaborative research, facilitate student-industry placements, and support curriculum development in engineering and related fields.
A key focus of the lecture was the role of emerging digital technologies in urban planning and infrastructure management. Prof. Ochieng discussed the application of digital tools, parametric planning, and digital twins—virtual models of urban systems that enable planners to simulate infrastructure performance, assess potential risks, and explore sustainability outcomes before implementation.
He further stressed the need for cities to embrace emerging mobility technologies such as Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms, which can help improve transportation efficiency while supporting environmentally sustainable urban systems.
The lecture session was chaired by Alhassan Andani, a member of the University Council. Among those present were the Vice-Chancellor, Nana Aba Appiah Amfo; the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Gordon Awandare; the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah; as well as Provosts, Deans, Directors, faculty members, students, and institutional partners.
The lecture forms part of the long-standing Aggrey–Fraser–Guggisberg Memorial Lectures series, which provides a platform for distinguished scholars and professionals to share insights on issues of global and national importance.