UEW Researchers Win International Grant for AI Capacity Building

A team of researchers from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has secured a competitive international grant from The FATE Foundation to implement the Africa AI Upskilling Programme.

This three-year initiative aims to strengthen Artificial Intelligence (AI) education, teaching and applied research at the University.

The research team is led by Prof. Delali Kwasi Dake as Principal Investigator with Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, Prof. Arkoful Sam and Dr. Augustine Monney serving as Co-Investigators.

Funded by the FATE Foundation in partnership with Google.org and implemented with technical support from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), the project seeks to build sustainable AI capacity at UEW through a Train-the-Trainer model based on the Google DeepMind AI Research Foundations Curriculum.

Under the programme, four AI Champions and their Teaching Assistants will receive specialised training before transferring knowledge and skills to students within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programmes. The initiative will also support the mentorship of AI capstone projects, the localisation of AI curriculum content and the integration of AI learning into the University's academic programmes.

Beyond training, the project incorporates capstone showcase events, monitoring and evaluation activities as well as sustainability measures designed to ensure the continued delivery of AI education after the grant period.

The Africa AI Upskilling Programme forms part of a wider continental initiative being implemented across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa to establish a sustainable and scalable AI education ecosystem within higher education institutions.

The initiative is expected to significantly enhance UEW's institutional capacity in AI teaching, learning and applied research by equipping lecturers, Teaching Assistants and students with emerging AI knowledge and practical skills. It will also foster interdisciplinary research, innovation and AI-driven capstone projects while promoting long-term curriculum integration across STEM programmes.

The project is further expected to strengthen the University's collaboration with international partners including Google.org, the FATE Foundation and AIMS while increasing opportunities for future grants, research partnerships and industry collaboration in AI and digital transformation. Students will also benefit from practical AI applications, mentorship and innovation-centred learning experiences that enhance employability and entrepreneurial potential.

The grant award reinforces UEW's growing commitment to advancing technology-enhanced education, research excellence and global academic engagement while positioning the University as a key contributor to Africa's emerging AI education landscape.