UG Students Launch Regional Learning Tour as GTDC Expands Educational Travel Initiative

A cohort of 36 students from the University of Ghana has set out on a three-day, two-night educational expedition to Togo and Benin, marking the latest phase of an ambitious regional integration project aimed at strengthening cross-border connections among young West Africans.

The students departed the UG campus on Friday morning, with their return expected on Sunday. The tour forms part of the 'Campus to Countries' initiative, a collaborative effort between the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) and the University of Ghana Students' Representative Council (SRC), designed to give tertiary students first-hand exposure to travel logistics and neighbouring cultures within the ECOWAS region.

Building regional awareness and appreciation

In remarks to students ahead of their departure, GTDC Chief Executive Officer Prof. Kobby Mensah underscored the initiative's broader purpose: equipping students with practical knowledge of travel requirements and arrangements whilst fostering cultural understanding. "Trips like this will help students acquire more knowledge on how other neighbours live. This will, in turn, make them appreciate their country better," Prof. Mensah said.

The experience is intended to move beyond tourist activities, instead offering participants insights into how communities in Togo and Benin conduct daily life, their social customs, and regional economic practices. This immersive approach reflects a growing recognition that student mobility programmes can deepen appreciation for national identity when paired with exposure to neighbouring societies.

Vice SRC President Ebenezer Derrick Gyampo commended the GTDC's partnership with student leadership, acknowledging the collaborative effort required to arrange such trips. Participating students themselves voiced enthusiasm for the initiative and called for similar opportunities to be expanded across the tertiary education sector.

Scaling up across Ghana's education system

The GTDC plans to roll out the 'Campus to Countries' programme to other tertiary institutions nationwide, potentially reaching thousands of undergraduates in coming months. Additionally, Prof. Mensah announced complementary plans to organise reverse tours for Senior High School students to visit universities across Ghana, creating a systematic pipeline of exposure to educational and regional mobility opportunities.

Such initiatives align with Ghana's broader development goals around regional integration and tourism promotion, whilst addressing a practical gap: many young Ghanaians complete secondary or tertiary education without having travelled to neighbouring countries or understood ECOWAS mobility frameworks.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's position as a relative political and economic anchor in West Africa makes regional engagement a national priority. Educational programmes that normalise travel and cultural exchange help build grassroots support for ECOWAS protocols and deepen informal networks among young professionals who may later drive bilateral trade, academic partnerships, and diplomatic engagement.

Furthermore, as Ghana seeks to position itself as a regional hub for tourism and higher education, familiarity with neighbouring markets and institutions among its own graduates strengthens competitive advantage. Young alumni who have travelled regionally are more likely to recommend Ghana to peers and develop the cross-border professional networks essential for private sector growth.

The initiative also offers practical benefits: students gain navigational experience with travel documentation, border procedures, and logistics planning—skills increasingly relevant in a mobile, globalised workforce. The GTDC's commitment to scaling the programme suggests recognition that such hands-on learning experiences deliver value that conventional classroom instruction cannot match.