10,000 Ghanaians studying in Europe as government eyes new university partnerships
The government is seeking to expand access to European higher education through university partnerships that would allow Ghanaian students to combine studies at home with periods of academic training overseas.
The proposal comes as Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu estimates that between 8,000 and 10,000 Ghanaians are already enrolled in higher education institutions across Europe.
Speaking at the first Study in Europe Fair at the University of Ghana on November 4, Mr Iddrisu said the students were pursuing programmes in areas including engineering, green technology, medicine, public policy and social sciences.
Their destinations include Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary and countries in the Nordic region. The minister said the experience was helping them develop technical expertise, international connections and the ability to work across different cultures.
But the government wants international academic opportunities to extend beyond students who can travel abroad for their entire programmes. At the same event, Mr Iddrisu outlined plans to promote joint and double-degree arrangements between Ghanaian universities and foreign institutions.
Under the proposed model, students could complete part of their studies in Ghana, continue at a partner university in Europe and return to finish their programmes locally. The Ministry says this approach could widen access to international education while strengthening cooperation between universities.
The minister also appealed to European Union member states to make student visa processes more accommodating for qualified Ghanaian applicants. He argued that easier access would help young people acquire skills and knowledge they could use in Ghana and elsewhere.
The inaugural fair, organised by the EU Delegation to Ghana with GIZ and the Ghanaian-European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development, brought together European diplomatic missions and education representatives to engage prospective students.
Participants received information on university programmes, admission conditions, scholarships and visa procedures. The event also featured an Erasmus+ information desk, a CV clinic, application guidance and networking opportunities. Austria’s embassy confirmed its participation and provided information on study programmes, grants and research opportunities.
EU Ambassador to Ghana Rune Skinnebach said the initiative was intended to make information about European education more accessible to young people in Ghana. The EU has also highlighted Erasmus+ as one of the available routes for academic study and exchange.
The figures disclosed by Mr Iddrisu offer an indication of the scale of Ghanaian participation in European higher education, although the minister did not provide a country-by-country breakdown or the period covered by the estimate. The government’s proposed university partnerships and its appeal on visas point to efforts to broaden those opportunities while encouraging the knowledge gained abroad to contribute to national development.
Source: CNR
About The Author
