Achievements
The Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship continues to strengthen its impact through strategic industry partnerships and innovation. In collaboration with Ultimate Concrete Products Limited, the Department provided solutions to reverse the company’s declining sales and marketing performance. It is also in advanced talks with the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) to deliver cutting-edge staff training on global best practices in the tourism industry. Furthermore, a bold proposal and implementation plan for a Business Incubator Project is currently under management review, signaling a new era of entrepreneurial development at UEW.
Establishment of the UEW Innovation Hub
In a landmark achievement under the leadership of the Dean of the School of Business, the Department spearheaded the establishment of the UEW Innovation Hub. Conceived as a future-shaping initiative, the Hub is set to foster entrepreneurship, drive applied research, and accelerate business incubation. This transformative project positions UEW as a leader in bridging academia and industry, while directly contributing to Ghana’s socio-economic growth.
Leadership and Strategic Oversight
The development of the Innovation Hub was steered by a dynamic three-member committee whose leadership combined strategic foresight with operational excellence:
- Dr Yaw Brew (Chairperson) provided overall leadership and strategic direction, ensuring alignment with the Department’s vision of becoming a centre of entrepreneurial excellence.
- Dr Isaac Mensah (Coordinator) brought expertise in innovation management and entrepreneurship development, guiding the Hub’s programme architecture and incubation model.
- Dr Bernard Tutu Boahene (Member) directed stakeholder engagement and resource mobilisation, forging critical linkages with industry partners and development agencies.
Through this collaborative leadership, the process moved seamlessly from conceptualisation to implementation, culminating in the creation of a unit that is academically rigorous, industry-relevant, and future-focused.
Purpose and Strategic Value
The UEW Innovation Hub was established with four core objectives, each reflecting a strategic response to the evolving demands of higher education and national development:
- Promoting entrepreneurial thinking, inspiring students and faculty to conceptualise and develop innovative business solutions to real-world challenges.
- Fostering business incubation, providing structured mentorship, advisory support, and access to funding and markets for student-led start-ups.
- Advancing applied research, translating research outputs into practical interventions that enhance business competitiveness and sustainability.
- Strengthening industry-academia linkages serving as a dynamic interface between the university, the private sector, and policymakers to drive innovation-led growth.
Key Achievements and Outcomes
Since its inception, the UEW Innovation Hub has delivered tangible and measurable outcomes:
- Facilitated the incubation of several student-led start-ups across sectors such as agribusiness, digital marketing, and social entrepreneurship.
- Organised high-impact training workshops, pitch competitions, and mentorship programmes to cultivate entrepreneurial skills and capabilities.
- Attracted industry partnerships and funding streams to sustain and scale innovation projects.
- Positioned UEW as a pioneer in entrepreneurship education and innovation research among Ghanaian universities.
Comparative and Competitive Edge
The establishment of the UEW Innovation Hub confers a distinctive competitive advantage upon the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Few academic units within the region have successfully embedded a fully operational entrepreneurial ecosystem into their institutional frameworks. The Hub has not only elevated the department’s academic standing but also enhanced its capacity to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s socio-economic development by nurturing a new generation of innovators, thought leaders, and business pioneers.