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News from 2005
Jan-Mar | Apr - Jun | Jul
- Sep | Oct -
Dec
Ashesi students win Standard Chartered Bank Innovation
Incubator competition
November 2005
A team
of Ashesi students have won the Standard Chartered Bank
Innovation Incubator competition, held in Accra on
November 25, 2005. The Innovation Incubator competition,
which forms part of a global effort by the bank to increase
its competitive edge, was open to students from Ashesi
University and the University of Ghana.
The Ashesi team developed an Information Technology-based banking product which
will significantly save time and reduce the costs of banking
transactions in the Ghanaian economy. The team comprised
Derry Dean Dadzie (Class of 2006), Obinna Chuku (Class of
2006), Patrick Quantson (Class of 2005) and Kofi Ocloo
(Class of 2005).
Government of Ghana
donates bus to Ashesi University
November 2005
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Volkswagen bus |
On
November 16, 2005, The President of Ghana, His Excellency,
John Agyekum Kufuor, presented eleven buses valued at
$693,000 to nine private universities and two public
institutions. The buses were purchased with funds from the
Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), marking the first time
that private institutions have been included in a GETFUND
project.
This
gesture by the government reflects growing support for
private higher education in Ghana. President Kufuor
expressed his government’s appreciation for the private
sector’s role in Ghanaian education. He especially
commended the churches for their historic contribution
through mission schools, and for
their new investments in higher education.
The
following private institutions benefited from the project:
All
Nations University College; Ashesi University College;
Catholic University College of Ghana;
Central
University College; Garden City University College;Islamic
University College of Ghana; Methodist University College;
Valley View University; Wisconsin University
College - Ghana. The
Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and Ghana National Film
Training Institute also received a bus each.
Ashesi University
recognized in 2006 Budget Reading for Ghana
November 2005
 During
his 2006 Budget reading to Parliament, the Minister of
Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu,
commended a number of local companies and organizations for
leading the renewal of Ghanaian industry. The list included
A & C Mall, Ashesi University, Camelot, Central University, Domod, Tropical Cables and Conductors, Ernest Chemists,
Kinapharma, MKOGH, Nexans, and Strategic African Securities.
The investments of these local organizations, join those of
multinationals such as Anglo-Gold Ashanti, Newmont Mining
Company, and ALCOA, the world's largest aluminum company, to
underscore the effectiveness of the government’s economic
policies.
We at
Ashesi, are very proud to have received this national
recognition, and we will do our best to live up to
the expectations of the government and the people
of Ghana.
Peter Woicke, former Executive VP of World Bank,
joins Ashesi’s Board
October 2005
Ashesi
University is very pleased to announce the nomination of Mr.
Peter Woicke, former Executive Vice President of the
International Finance Corporation (the private sector branch
of the World Bank) to the university’s Board of Trustees.
With over 30 years of experience in international finance
and banking, Mr. Woicke brings a wealth of experience to
Ashesi’s leadership team.
Commenting on why he wanted to get more involved with Ashesi
Mr. Woicke stated, "During my six years at the World Bank
Group I have taken a keen interest in private education, not
as a replacement of public education, but definitely
complementing public education. When I heard of Ashesi,
particularly when I met with Patrick Awuah [Ashesi’s
founder], it appeared to me that such a place is needed and
deserves to be supported. If Ashesi succeeds, it will set a
big example in Africa."
Prior to
joining Ashesi’s board, Mr. Woicke served as the Executive
Vice President of the International Finance Corporation and
a Managing Director of the World Bank from January
1999-2005. Under Mr. Woicke's leadership the IFC underwent
a complete change in business model: from a Project Finance
House, providing political risk coverage for companies
investing in emerging markets, to become a partner of choice
for emerging companies in developing countries.
Additionally Mr. Woicke guided the IFC in expanding its role
as a capital provider in frontier countries and high-impact
sectors such as domestic financial markets, infrastructure,
information technology, health and education, and small and
medium enterprises. After a major reorganization, the IFC
expanded the provision of environmental and social know-how,
technical assistance and advice to governments and
businesses.
Before joining the IFC, Peter Woicke
held numerous positions at J.P. Morgan, over a period of 30
years. During his tenure at J.P. Morgan, Mr. Woicke chalked
up many accomplishments, including heading the firm’s Oil
and Gas Business in London (the most successful financier of
North Sea development); establishing J.P. Morgan’s
operations in Brazil and leading it to become one of the
firm's most important international offices; heading Global
Markets, which included all trading activities for J.P.
Morgan worldwide; and heading the firm's technology and back
office operations, during which time J.P. Morgan was named
“The Bank using technology in the most efficient way”. From
1995 through 1998, Mr. Woicke served as Managing Director
and Chief Executive of JP Morgan Asia Pacific, a region
ranging from Japan, China, India, and South East Asia into
Australia. Under his leadership, the firm’s revenue in the
region grew from $350 million in 1995 to $750 million in
1997.
Minister of Science
& Environment visits Ashesi
October 2005
 The
Minster of Science & Environment, the Honorable Ms. Christine
Churcher visited Ashesi University on Wednesday October 5th to
learn about innovative ways to teach science and math in Ghana.
During her visit,
Ms. Churcher attended a Pre-Calculus class taught by Prof. Sitsofe
Anku to observe how Ashesi students are
learning mathematics in a way that challenges them apply
mathematical principles to the world around them.
Ashesi students are actively
involved in projects that enable them use math principles to
solve problems that they see in their community. For
example, students are exploring how math principles are used by
domestic mobile telecommunications providers in customer
billing, provision of wireless service, and marketing.
Prof.
Anku stated, “There is a major problem in the way math is
currently being taught throughout the country. And as a result,
many of our young people are learning to hate math. Teachers
must strive to help students see connections between mathematics
and real life.”
Ms. Churcher was pleased by the participatory nature of the
class in which students were asked to work in groups to solve
problems and then present results to the entire class. She was
impressed by how engaged the students were in the subject.
In a brief address to the class Ms. Churcher stated that she
sees the improvement of mathematics and science education as
critical to the development of the country.
Faculty Profile: Krzysztof Gajos
October 2005
 Krzysztof
Gajos is a visiting faculty member from the University of
Washington and is teaching an Artificial Intelligence Course
this semester. He is in his fourth year of a PhD program
in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the
University of Washington in Seattle though his home is in
Gdansk, Poland. He is currently working with Professor Daniel
Weld and several other colleagues on SUPPLE, Arnauld and other
projects in the area of
personalizable
user interfaces. His research interests span areas of
machine learning, ubiquitous computing and human-computer
interaction.
Prior to coming to Seattle, he
got his B.Sc. and M.Eng. degrees at MIT where he also worked on
the Intelligent Room
Project. In 1999 he co-taught a series of short
summer courses on the applications of the Internet at Xindu Yi
Zhong high school in Sichuan, China. In 1995 he got his
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma from Atlantic College
in Wales, UK, where he spent two years studying in the company
of students from nearly 90 different countries. In his spare
time, he likes to read, hike, travel, and do photography.
Click here
to view Krzysztof's personal website.
Ashesi University Foundation moves
to a new office
October 2005
 Ashesi
University Foundation has completed a move to a new office
building located in the Leshi neighborhood of Seattle. Our
new office space is in a beautiful, recently constructed
building that overlooks Seattle's downtown area. To enable
us to reduce operational costs and direct more of funds raised
to university programs, the lease for this office space was
donated by a generous Ashesi supporter. We would like to thank
all our supporters and volunteers who helped to make this move
possible.
New Foundation contact information:
1414 31st Ave S, Suite 301
Mail
Box #11
Seattle, WA 98144
Phone: (206) 545-6988
Fax: (206) 260-2407
Please be sure to update our contact information in your records.
Ashesi develops new lab with grant
from Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund
September, 2005
 Ashesi has completed the installation of a new lab for the
Computer Science department, funded by a $20,000 grant from
the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund (TALIF). The
installation of the new lab is already making a big impact
on campus. This semester, the Very Large Scale
Integration (VLSI) class meets in the new lab. As
well, the lab serves as an alternative general lab when
classes are held at the university's main computer lab, and
has generally increased access to electronic resources on
campus.
The Teaching and Learning
Innovation Fund (TALIF) for tertiary education institutions
operates under the Education Sector Project of the Ministry
of Education. TALIF is part of the Government of
Ghana’s tertiary education improvement efforts and is
financed with credit from the International Development
Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group and counterpart
funds from the national budget.
We are delighted by this award
and are enormously grateful to the Ministry of Education and
the IDA.
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