The Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences (SAHS) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. Desmond Omane Acheampong, has been named among 30 distinguished African leaders selected for the 2025–2026 cohort of the DIES International Deans’ Course (IDC) Africa.

 The IDC Africa is a prestigious and highly competitive year-long leadership development programme for higher education administrators. It is jointly organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, and the Centre for Higher Education (CHE), with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The IDC Africa is delivered in three intensive phases across two countries, including Germany. Its hallmark is the Project Action Plan (PAP), through which participants identify pressing challenges in their home institutions and design transformative, evidence-based projects under the guidance of experienced mentors.

The programme is designed to strengthen the managerial, strategic planning, financial governance, problem-solving, and quality assurance capacities of academic leaders in African universities. It also focuses on leadership in evolving higher education landscapes and on fostering international cooperation and partnerships.

Since its inception in 2007, five UCC faculty members have been selected to participate in this  programme. They are: Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh, former Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rosemond Aboagyewaa Boohene, former Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, former Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Prof. Nancy Innocentia Ebu Enyan, former Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Prof. Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah (middle-front row) and Prof. Desmond Omane Acheampong (last row-right) with some participants and mentors/trainers of the programme.

Prof. Acheampong now joins this distinguished group, further reinforcing  UCC’s reputation as a hub for higher education leadership development in Ghana and beyond.

As part of his PAP, Prof. Acheampong will implement a project titled: “Developing a Training Manual for Capacity Building in Lean Management for Office Holders in the School of Allied Health Sciences (SAHS).”

This programme seeks to enhance the administrative and managerial efficiency of officers by equipping them with practical Lean Management skills to reduce waste and optimise resource use within the university system.

 Prof. Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, a faculty at the School of Medical Sciences, UCC is now a mentor/trainer on the IDC Africa programme.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC