Students must have meaningful voice in university governance – Prof. Appiagyei-Atua
A Professor at the University of Ghana (UG) School of Law, Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, has called for a student-centred approach to university governance to address the declining state of academic freedom on African campuses. He said the erosion of academic freedom across Africa could not be addressed without tackling weaknesses in campus democracy, stressing that … The post Students must…
Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, a law professor at the University of Ghana, has advocated for a student-focused approach to university governance in order to tackle the declining academic freedom on African campuses. He emphasized that students must have a significant role in university decision-making processes. During his inaugural lecture titled "The Student Question: Reclaiming Academic Freedom for Democratic Renewal in Africa," held on August 27, 2026, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua defined academic freedom as the right of teachers, researchers, and students to investigate, teach, publish, and discuss ideas without undue interference or censorship.
He argued that universities should foster democracy to maintain an environment conducive to critical thinking and democratic development. Prof. Appiagyei-Atua questioned the responsibility for the collapse of academic freedom in Africa, pointing out that weaknesses in campus democracy and marginalization of students also play a role.
He expressed concern about the impact of partisan political structures on student activism and the subsequent culture of silence on campuses. To address these issues, Prof. Appiagyei-Atua proposed measures such as requiring candidates for student leadership positions to disclose their political affiliations and providing institutional backing for independent student campaigns.
The University of Ghana's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, acknowledged the challenges in student representation but affirmed the university's commitment to increasing student participation in governance. She encouraged students to make full use of these opportunities and emphasized the shared responsibility among government, university management, academics, and students in safeguarding academic freedom.
Written by urgent.news from Ghanaian Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
