The Department of Communication Studies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Literature at Uppsala University, Sweden, to strengthen research work, promote developmental outreach and, cross cultural knowledge and understanding among staff, faculty and students of both institutions. Other areas of the collaboration include exchange of students, exchange of faculty, collaborative research projects and curriculum development, exchange academic materials and published information. Also the two partners would jointly organise conferences, seminars, academic interactive sessions and professional development programmes, provide exchange internship opportunities for qualified students of the two universities and joint supervision of post-graduate projects and theses. The Pro-Vice- Chancellor, Prof. George K. T. Oduro, signed on behalf of UCC, while the Head of the Department of Literature at the Uppsala University, Dr. Patrick Mehrens, appended on behalf of Uppsala University. Speaking at the ceremony, the Head of the Department of Communication Studies, Dr. Eric Opoku-Mensah, said the preparations for the collaboration started last year following an invitation extended to him to participate in an international conference on rhetoric at Uppsala University. In light of this, he said the Department seized the opportunity to engage their counterparts on how to collaborate to champion rhetoric, which happens to be an emerging discipline in Africa. Welcoming the delegation, Prof. George K.T. Oduro, said the University was interested in fruitful collaborations, adding that "globally, universities are facing huge challenges and no single university can cope with those challenges". He added that the collaboration between the two institutions would enhance mutual learning opportunities. On his part, Dr. Patrick Mehrens gave a firm assurance of his Department’s commitment to make the partnership successful. Present at the ceremony were the Registrar, Mr. John Kofi Nyan; the Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh and some senior lecturers at the Department of Communication Studies. Accompanying Dr. Patrick Mehrens were Prof. Mats Rosengren, the Chair of Rhetoric, Miss Louisa Therkildsen, a PhD student, and Erik Bengtson, all at the Department of Literature.
