The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), in partnership with the KSB School of Business and College of Humanities at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have launched the ACCA–KSB Leadership Academy, a structured leadership development programme designed to equip Ghanaian university students with the professional competencies, ethical grounding and global outlook required to drive the country’s economic transformation.
The Academy’s pioneer cohort comprises 52 second-year students selected from 15 departments across the university, with deliberate emphasis on academic excellence and gender balance.
The programme is built on four core pillars, Ethics, Sustainability, Digital Transformation and Corporate Governance, reflecting both ACCA’s global professional standards and Ghana’s national development priorities.
Speaking at the launch, ACCA West and Central Africa Cluster Head, Norman Williams, described the initiative as a direct response to the country’s evolving economic realities and the urgent need for a new calibre of leadership.
“Today marks more than the introduction of a new academic initiative. It signals a deliberate response to Ghana’s economic realities and the critical role KNUST must continue to play in shaping national development,” Mr. Williams said.
He noted that Ghana faces a complex set of structural challenges, including fiscal pressures, youth unemployment and the imperative of industrial expansion, even as significant opportunities emerge through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a growing digital economy and an expanding financial services sector.
According to the African Development Bank, Africa stands to gain up to $450 billion in income by 2035 through full implementation of the AfCFTA, but only if the continent produces the quality of leadership and institutional capacity needed to realise those gains.
“These opportunities will not translate into progress without the right kind of leadership. Ghana does not merely need more graduates; it needs leaders who can think critically, act ethically, manage complexity and compete globally,” Mr. Williams stated.
The Academy offers participants direct access to industry experts, seasoned practitioners and ACCA Fellows, ensuring sustained exposure to real-world professional challenges alongside the formal curriculum.
An integrated internship pathway provides each participant with a structured route into ACCA-affiliated professional placements, directly enhancing employability and career readiness upon graduation.
The programme’s emphasis on employability addresses a persistent structural challenge in Ghana’s labour market. The World Bank estimates that Sub-Saharan Africa needs to create approximately 12 million new jobs annually to absorb its growing youth population; a target that requires a new generation of professionally equipped, ethically grounded and innovation-ready graduates capable of building and leading viable enterprises.
Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor David Asamoah, described the launch as a significant milestone in the university’s mandate to produce graduates who are not only academically excellent but also socially responsible and professionally prepared.
“The establishment of this Leadership Academy reflects what can be achieved when we are intentional about shaping the future. It underscores our commitment to developing well-rounded graduates who can contribute meaningfully to society,” Prof. Asamoah said.
Prof. Asamoah urged the pioneer cohort to approach the programme with full commitment, noting that it would equip them with critical professional competencies, including communication, leadership, critical thinking, public speaking and sustainability practices, that classroom instruction alone cannot provide.
Provost of the KSB School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Charles Ofosu Marfo, noted that the Academy represented the realisation of a vision first articulated six years ago to close the gap between academic achievement and meaningful societal impact.
“Leadership is not merely about titles or positions. We are focused on cultivating purposeful, resilient and transformative leadership. The future belongs to those who can think critically and lead effectively,” Prof. Marfo said.
Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of the country’s leading economic media outlet, the Business and Financial Times (B&FT), Dr. Godwin Acquaye, addressed participants virtually.
He urged the cohort to prioritise the development of distinctly human competencies as edging technology, especially artificial intelligence, continues to reshape the professional landscape.
“The skills that will define your careers are those that cannot be replicated by machines, critical thinking, ethical judgement, empathy and the ability to lead people through complexity and uncertainty,” Dr. Acquaye said.
The ACCA–KSB Leadership Academy is designed to serve as a scalable model for leadership development across Ghana’s tertiary education sphere. Both institutions have indicated that the outcomes of the pioneer cohort will inform the programme’s evolution and its potential expansion to other universities and disciplines in subsequent years.
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About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global professional accountancy body offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification. With over 252,000 members and 526,000 future members in 180 countries, ACCA advances the accountancy profession by championing ethical, sustainable business practice and developing highly skilled finance professionals equipped for a rapidly changing world. In Africa, ACCA works closely with governments, universities and employers to strengthen professional capacity and support economic development. For more information, visit https://www.accaglobal.com/
About KNUST KSB School of Business
The KSB School of Business at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is one of Ghana’s leading business schools, committed to producing graduates with the technical knowledge, professional skills and ethical foundation to lead in a competitive global economy. The school offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across a range of business disciplines and maintains active partnerships with leading professional bodies and industry organisations. For more information, visit https://kbs.knust.edu.gh.
