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A Lehigh University delegation visited Kenya and Ghana last month to strengthen partnerships with leading African institutions, explore new educational collaborations, and connect with alumni across the continent.

The trip, which included meetings with think tanks and universities, aims to expand opportunities for students and foster joint research initiatives in areas such as economic governance, entrepreneurship, and environmental sustainability.

“There's really no substitute for having strong connections on the ground in places where we want to do substantive programming or research,” said Todd Watkins, Executive Director of the Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise. “Nurturing that connectivity and laying as much foundational groundwork as we can is very important, especially in Africa, where there’s so much opportunity.”

Watkins and Stacy Burger, Director of Global Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at Lehigh’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), visited Accra, Ghana, and Nairobi, Kenya, during their week-long trip last month. Burger manages Lehigh’s international partnerships with universities and organizations across the world.

The African visit is consistent with OIA’s strategic initiatives, which seek to ensure all students have access to international education experiences, as well as to expand resources that advance the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge.

“Building sustainable, meaningful partnerships in Africa is key to our mission of global engagement,” Burger said. “By collaborating directly with institutions like ACGEM, we can create lasting opportunities for students and faculty, while addressing some of the region’s most pressing challenges.”

During their visit to Accra, Burger and Watkins engaged with the African Center for Governance and Economic Management (ACGEM), with which Lehigh recently formalized a new global partnership. ACGEM is a prominent Ghana-based think tank focused on economic governance across Africa.

The collaboration could lead to internship opportunities, capacity building, and joint research efforts in economic governance and finance. Burger and Watkins met with the top officials at ACGEM, and also attended a panel discussion with government officials and others discussing anti-corruption efforts, ethical leadership, and the political situation in Ghana.

The connection was partially facilitated by Michael Tahiru ‘22, a Lehigh alumnus from Ghana, who did undergrad at Lehigh and now works as Partnership & Resource Mobilization Manager at ACGEM. Tahiru was recruited to play soccer for Lehigh, then studied at the university’s College of Business.

During their trip to Ghana, Burger and Watkins held discussions with Ashesi University officials about possible collaborations. While a formal partnership has not yet been established, both institutions align in their progressive educational approaches, particularly in entrepreneurship and leadership training.

“We’ve been in communication with them for some time, and it was great to finally meet with them in person,” Burger said. “We believe there are several opportunities for collaborative efforts involving Lehigh, the Iacocca Institute, and various other programs within OIA.”

Burger and Watkins hosted dinners with Lehigh alumni during stops in both countries, as well as alumni from Iacocca Institute programs like the Global Village and the Mandela Washington Fellows (MWF). Some alumni traveled significant distances to attend the dinners, reflecting their strong connection to Lehigh, Watkins said.

“It was exciting to engage with Stacy and Todd and connect with alumni from both the MWF and Global Village programs in Nairobi,” said Tabitha Erupe ‘24, a Mandela Washington Fellow. “The vibrant discussions strengthened our allyship, and we’re all enthusiastic about supporting Lehigh’s African strategy. We look forward to seeing the outcomes and to more of such interactions and engagements.”

Pascal Yelduora, a 2013 alumni Global Village alumnus living in Aacra who also attended the alumni dinner, described the meetings as a starting point to reconnect and reorganize, and expressed hopes to have similar in-person and virtual reunions in the future.

The Martindale Center is an interdisciplinary resource in Lehigh’s College of Business. It engages students, faculty, and the business community in active inquiry tackling questions central to understanding and fostering sustainable private enterprises and inclusive economic systems throughout the world.

Through his work with the Martindale Center, Watkins has extensive experience in Africa, particularly Kenya, where he has led student trips and conducted research. While the COVID-19 pandemic paused many of these initiatives, last month’s visit sought to reignite them, Watkins said.