UMaT signs MOU with Golden Dream Ghana Ltd LiuGong Machinery Co Ltd to train students in heavy-duty machines

In line with UMaT’s effort to increase its international business engagements, the University entered into a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Golden Dream Ghana Ltd., a Ghanaian-based Chinese Company and LiuGong Machinery Co Ltd., a Chinese multinational construction machinery manufacturing company.
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Golden Dream Group is an international company sales and service of heavy-duty machinery, providing a shared platform and service to Chinese companies in Africa.
LiuGong Machinery Co., Ltd., on the other hand, is a Chinese multinational construction machinery manufacturing company based in China, which is the world's 10th-largest construction equipment manufacturer by market share and the world's largest manufacturer of wheel loaders.

The object of the MoU was to collaborate to train students in heavy-duty/earthmoving and construction machines, to provide the needed human capital to support the mining, technology, and allied industries in Ghana and West Africa. Because of this, a BSc. and Post-Graduate Certificate programs in heavy-duty/earthmoving and construction machines would be run by the University.
To enhance the expertise of lecturers and enable them to impart practical skills and hands-on experience to students, a two-phase trainer’s training program was scheduled.

The first phase involved online training and an examination which was organised by the Liugong Company in China for staff of the Mechanical and Electrical engineering departments of the University. The training was coordinated by the Business Development Unit of the Office of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (ORIC).
Following the successful organization of the online training and subsequent examination, five (5) members of staff; Dr Shiphrah Ohene Adu, Dr Eric Ofori-Ntow Jnr, Mr Noah Yakah, Mr Abdulai Ayirebi Ankrah, Mr Michael Bremfi have been selected by the University for the second phase of the training which will take place in the Liugong factory in Liuzhou, China.

At a departure ceremony to bid them farewell, the Dean of ORIC, Prof Michael Affam explained that, the selected staff members, four of whom are lecturers are going to have real hands-on training on the heavy-duty equipment to impart knowledge on students, the mining industry and society at large.

The General Manager of Golden Dream Ltd, Egbert Zhu noted that this collaborative work is of good purpose and will be beneficial to all parties.
He noted that when the selected lecturers come, “they can teach the students and allow them to get good job after graduation and this will make a dream come true”.
He added, “we are here to provide support to the University and students at large”

The Sales Manager of Liugong, West African Region, Mariana Liu noted that the company has lots of machines that will enhance the practical knowledge of lecturers who will be traveling to China. He was hopeful that when they return to Ghana, more students and lecturers will get on board which in the end will benefit the entire university, mining industry and the society at large.

He explained that “the lecturers are going to enjoy our courses in China we have all the machines, equipment and the tools they can use to learn. That's why it’s very important for them to go to China to learn how to do their mechanicals and electric cars and everything. When they come back from China they can get more people join this program and teach more people who are interested”.

The Vice Chancellor of the UMaT Prof Richard Amankwaa who was excited about this deal was hopeful that Luigong will set up an assembling plant at UMaT which will attract the whole of West Africa will come to UMaT to learn more about the machines.