The NEWAL Seasonal School 2024, funded by swissuniversities, took place from 27 August to 7 September at the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi and was an impressive interdisciplinary programme. Students from Liberia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland came together to take an in-depth look at regional issues. The programme focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)2, 6, 7 and 11, which deal with sustainable agriculture, clean water, affordable and clean energy and sustainable cities and communities. 

 

A central component of the programme was working in interdisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions for real challenges. The diverse backgrounds and perspectives of the students led to a lively exchange and encouraged creative approaches. This made it possible to comprehensively grasp the complex topics and develop practice-orientated solutions. 

 

In addition to the theoretical content, practical experiments were carried out in the areas of clean drinking water and photovoltaics. In the laboratories, students were able to apply and deepen their knowledge directly, which contributed to a deeper understanding of the technical and scientific aspects of these topics. This practical component was an important part of the programme and impressively demonstrated how theoretical concepts can be put into practice. 

 

Another highlight of the Seasonal School were the excursions to various facilities and projects in the region. Visits to a water treatment plant, a waste treatment plant, a crop research centre and a cocoa farm gave the participants a valuable insight into the real challenges and solutions on site. These excursions emphasised the importance of combining academic knowledge with practical experience. 

 

Overall, the NEWAL Seasonal School 2024 was a great success. Thanks to the support of swissuniversities, the students were not only able to expand their knowledge and gain practical experience, but also build an international network. The combination of interdisciplinary work, practical laboratory experiments and excursions as well as the focus on sustainable development made this event a unique and enriching experience for everyone involved.