The German-West African Centre for Global Health and Pandemic Prevention (G-WAC) successfully held its 2026 Interdisciplinary Colloquium for SUR-PLACE PhD students at the Medical Enclave, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), as part of the 3rd Biennial Postgraduate Conference of the College of Health Sciences.

The colloquium serves as an important academic platform where newly enrolled doctoral candidates present their research proposals and receive interdisciplinary feedback from supervisors and researchers, while continuing students share progress updates, key findings, and plans toward thesis completion.

The event was officially opened by the Director of G-WAC, Prof. (Mrs) Linda Batsa Debrah, who welcomed participants joining both onsite and virtually. The session brought together an international panel of supervisors and researchers from Ghana and Germany, reflecting G-WAC’s commitment to fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary research in global health and pandemic preparedness.

A total of 11 doctoral students were scheduled to present research spanning critical areas of public health, including antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic disease transmission, viral surveillance, health systems strengthening, digital health, pandemic preparedness, malaria control, and health security governance. The presentations highlighted the breadth of G-WAC’s research agenda and its focus on addressing pressing health challenges in West Africa through innovative and multidisciplinary approaches.

The colloquium concluded with positive assessments from supervisors, who expressed satisfaction with both the quality of the research proposals presented by first-year doctoral students and the progress demonstrated by continuing candidates. Recommendations focused on improving project feasibility, sharpening research focus, and maintaining adherence to research timelines.

In her closing remarks, Prof. (Mrs) Linda Batsa Debrah commended the students for their dedication and encouraged them to remain committed to achieving key milestones as they contribute to advancing global health, health security, and pandemic preparedness in Africa.

G-WAC remains dedicated to nurturing the next generation of researchers equipped to address complex health challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based solutions.