Throughout 2023, faculty from the Brandon University Department of Rural Development and the Rural Development Institute have been collaborating with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Universities Canada, and Global Affairs Canada to secure International Student Scholarship Funds.

All funds from the Canadian International Development Scholarships: 2030 (BCDI: 2030) will be used to support ten international students from KNUST, Ghana to attend the Brandon University Master of Arts in Rural Development program.

This project will focus on ensuring that once each student has completed their Graduate Studies at Brandon University, they will return to their home countries and apply their knowledge and skillsets in the realm of rural development. The BCDI: 2030 project also aims to emphasize the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where all future work is conducted with sustainability at the forefront of priorities.

To learn more about this project make sure to visit the BCDI: 2030 Project Announcement, the BCDI: 2030 Leadership Training for Sustainable Rural Development: A Transformative Learning Experience Overview, and the links below!

Meet the BCDI: 2030 Project Team:

• Dr. Wilder Robles | Brandon University | Co-Principal Investigator and Associate Professor of the Department of Rural Development
• Dr. Wayne Kelly | Brandon University | Co-Principal Investigator and Director of the Rural Development Institute
• Dr. Ebenezer Dassah | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology | Co-Principal Investigator and KNUST Lecturer with the Department of Global and International Health
• Nicole Breedon | MA | Brandon University | BCDI Scholarship Coordinator
• Richard Adu | MA | Brandon University | International Rural Research Assistant
• Dr. Lili Jardine| Brandon University | BCDI: 2030 Academic Mentor
• Dr. Emma Varley | Brandon University | BCDI: 2030 Academic Mentor

To hear from some of the project team, and two Alumnus of KNUST, make sure to visit the Project Celebration Video!

BCDI: 2030 Scholarship Recipients: 

Issue 1 | August 2024 | Akua Afrakoma Osei

Issue 2 | August 2024 | Melody Kwonu Fagelogo

Issue 3 | August 2024 | Kwabena Owusu Amoateng

Project Partner Highlight: 

• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is a prominent institution in Ghana, recognized for its commitment to science and technology education. In 1949, the university was founded as the Kumasi College of Technology. But in 1961, the college attained full university status and changed its name to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in commemoration of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah – the first president and prime minister of Ghana. Currently standing as Ghana’s second-biggest institution, KNUST is renowned for its demanding academic curricula and research projects. The institution encourages creativity through a range of collaborations and initiatives that support sustainable development. KNUST has an incredibly vibrant academic community that aims to support innovative research and facilitate the development of useful strategies in addressing pressing issues.