The agreement will help to promote research and consultancy services, internship placements for students, educational tours for faculty and students and joint public fora to educate the public on research findings.

Professor Samuel Kwame Offei, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Academic Student Affairs, University of Ghana; and Professor Sandow M. Yidana, Dean of College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana; signed on behalf of the University while Professor Alex Dodoo, the Director General of GSA, signed for the Authority.

Prof Offei said the collaboration was one of the strategic priorities of the University to create a vibrant intellectual climate that stimulates relevant cutting edge research and community engagement.

He said the MOU would broaden the scope of collaboration for students to have internships during their period of study and gain hands-on experience in the field.

"The University has always encouraged its students to undertake internships during vacations to be competitive in the emerging market," he said.

Prof Offei said currently, departments within the University has developed internship as elective courses to bridge the gap between industry and academic.

He said the University through the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, has formalise engagements with relevant institutions to streamline internship programmes.

"The University is focusing on the commercialization of its laboratories and there is no better institution to partner with than GSA which has the mandate of developing, publishing and promoting standards in the country".

He said the partnership would leverage their strengths to promote the development of joint studies, research and training activities and other educational programmes for mutual interest.

Prof Dodoo said with the collaboration, there would be a significant increase in the number of students and faculty working with industry to advance the frontier of research.

He said the country had battled with the requisite research tools to bridge the gap between academic and industry, stressing that the collaboration would build synergies in addressing the challenges.

Prof Dodoo said the partnership would enable students to conduct their Doctor of Philosophy course with the Authority by identifying relevant problem-solving issue affecting the country.

This, he said, would propel business opportunities for both parties and lead to economic development.