University of Ghana to make AI training mandatory for all students
The University of Ghana is preparing to introduce compulsory Artificial Intelligence (AI) training for all students from the next academic year as the institution responds to the growing influence of technology across the job market.
The initiative was disclosed by Prof. Isaac Wiafe of the Interaction Labs at the university’s Department of Information Technology during the launch of the 2026 Achievers in Technology (AIT) Ghana Fellowship on Friday, September 4.
Held under the theme “Building Ghana’s Tech Workforce", the event highlighted the need for stronger technology skills among Ghanaian graduates as industries increasingly adopt AI and other emerging technologies.
Prof. Wiafe said the university’s decision is aimed at ensuring students develop a basic understanding of AI and are better positioned to navigate a rapidly changing technological environment.
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“The university gives you the fundamental knowledge that prepares you to be smart. And then when you join an organisation, you learn the skills… starting next academic year, every University of Ghana student is supposed to do AI as compulsory because we know that that is the future.”
University education should focus on strong foundations.
Prof. Wiafe also stressed that universities should not be structured around producing graduates specifically for individual companies.
Instead, he said institutions of higher learning should give students the fundamental academic and analytical skills they can apply across different industries and workplaces.
He argued that the responsibility for developing highly specialised, company-specific skills should be supported through industry training programmes after graduates have acquired their university education.
AI requires changes in teaching and assessment.
Beyond introducing compulsory AI training, Prof. Wiafe called for universities to reconsider how students are taught and assessed in an era where AI tools are becoming increasingly accessible.
He said the response to AI should not simply be an attempt to prevent students from using the technology. Rather, lecturers and researchers should adapt their teaching approaches and develop assessment methods that reflect the realities of the AI era.
“For those of us faculty and researchers, we should also change the way we are teaching. Change the way we are questioning students.”
The planned compulsory AI training is expected to form part of the University of Ghana’s broader efforts to equip students with relevant skills as AI continues to reshape education, employment and the wider economy.
Edem Kwame
Chief Editor
Edem Kwame is a staff journalist at GH News Media, where he covers sports, politics, news and current affairs with a sharp focus on Ghanaian and African football.
