A delegation from Michigan State University (MSU) has paid a courtesy visit to the Department of Wood Science and Technology at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR).
The visit formed part of efforts to foster international collaborations with academia, regulatory bodies and industry and explore strategic partnerships in research, innovation, and student development all in the development of Packaging programmes in Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal
It also involves students and staff exchange programmes to enhance the development of Packaging industry in the West Africa Sub-Region.
The team comprise Prof. Amy Radford-Popp, Graduate Programmes Director, AaronTucker, Academic Advisor at MSU’s School of Packaging, and Dr. Mercy A. Okezue, an Assistant Professor of Medical Packaging at the school of Packaging, MSU. The team engaged faculty members and students in a dynamic discussion centered on shared interests and opportunities within the packaging sector.
The visit also aimed to share insights into the evolving role of packaging in global sustainability efforts and its impact on agriculture, health, and the environment.
The acting dean of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Prof. Kojo Agyapong Afrifah, welcomed the MSU team and praised the initiative as a step in the right direction toward enriching academic experiences and addressing real-world challenges.
He noted the importance of such collaborations in enhancing both research capacity and industry relevance, especially within emerging economies like Ghana.
A key highlight of the discussions was the often-overlooked role of packaging as a viable and impactful career path emphasizing on how packaging remains largely invisible in traditional career guidance frameworks, despite its centrality to food safety, medical logistics, and sustainable development.
Students of the Department of Packaging Technology also had the opportunity to interact with the MSU team, learning about international study pathways, research opportunities, and potential career prospects in the global packaging industry.
Mr. Tucker and his colleagues encouraged the students to consider packaging not just as a technical field, but as a dynamic discipline capable of shaping global systems and driving environmental change.
The visit also took the team to Pokupharma Limited and Kumasi Compostand Recycling Plant (KCARP) to ascertain the level of medical packaging and recycling of used packaging materials.
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