The Research and Innovation Directorate has awarded grants to nine graduate students under the maiden University of Ghana Graduate Research Fund (UGGRF), a new variant of the internal grant scheme aimed at strengthening postgraduate research and capacity. The announcement marks a significant milestone in the University’s ongoing efforts to extend funding to early career academics and nurture the next generation of scholarly leaders.
The inaugural UGGRF award cycle supports nine graduate researchers — three PhD candidates and six MPhil students — across a wide range of disciplines including Music, Biochemistry, Social Work, Applied Parasitology, Human Anatomy, Crop Science, Chemical Pathology, and Applied Epidemiology & Disease Control.
Internal Grant Landscape at the University
The UGGRF is one component of the University’s internal research funding portfolio coordinated by the Research and Innovation Directorate (RID), the unit charged with promoting a vibrant research environment and facilitating internal and external research funding opportunities.
RID manages several institutional schemes designed to support researchers at different stages in their career. These include the long-standing University of Ghana Research Fund (UGRF) — which primarily provides seed and project funding to faculty and staff — as well as University of Ghana Conference Grants that support scholarly dissemination.
Why the UGGRF Was Established
While the University has traditionally provided institutional funding for faculty research through schemes such as the University of Ghana Research Fund (UGRF), this support did not extend directly to postgraduate students. Recognising that graduate researchers encounter significant financial barriers in executing high-quality thesis work, the University in 2025 established the UGGRF to provide partial funding specifically for MPhil and PhD candidates to support the implementation phase of their research projects — a critical stage where resource constraints may hinder timely completion of graduate thesis.
Through this intervention, the University seeks to strengthen postgraduate research productivity, enhance the quality and rigor of thesis outcomes, and amplify the contribution of student-led scholarship to applied knowledge and national development priorities.
2025 UGGRF Awardees
PhD Category
- Acheampong, Kingsley Joseph Ennin Kwesi – Music
Leading research in musicology and cultural studies, combining scholarly analysis with performance and heritage perspectives. - Andam, Sabina Ekua – Biochemistry
Advancing biochemical research with laboratory innovations and implications for health sciences. - Agyemang, Mavis Konadu – Social Work
Addressing social welfare challenges through evidence-based inquiry that informs community interventions and policy.
MPhil Category
- Philip Owusu Banahene– Applied Parasitology
Contributing to public health through research on parasitic disease dynamics and control strategies. - Dorcas Quaye – Human Anatomy
Deepening foundational knowledge crucial for biomedical education and clinical applications. - Stephen Anto Prah – Crop Science
Researching sustainable agricultural practices with implications for food security and climate resilience. - Wonder Agudey Doku-Agama– Chemical Pathology
Investigating biochemical markers with relevance to disease detection and clinical diagnostics. - Phoebe Ackah-Blay– Chemical Pathology
Exploring metabolic processes to uncover insights into disease mechanisms and laboratory diagnostics. - Irene Adinorkie Okutu– Applied Epidemiology & Disease Control
Strengthening public health understanding and interventions through data-driven epidemiological research.
Supporting Research Excellence and Development
As the first batch of UGGRF beneficiaries, awardees represent a diverse cohort of emerging scholars whose work aligns with the University’s research priorities. Their thesis topics span the humanities, sciences, and health disciplines — demonstrating the breadth of inquiry fostered by the new fund.By investing in postgraduate research, the University reinforces its strategic goal to produce impactful research and influence policy for local and global development.
The Research and Innovation Directorate extends warm congratulations to the 2025 UGGRF awardees and anticipates the significant contributions their research will make across disciplines and sectors.