By Kemo Kanyi
President Adama Barrow on Saturday presided over one of the largest convocations of the University of The Gambia, urging national universities to take the lead in shaping public policy discourse.
Speaking on the theme “Higher education as a strategic bridge for policy, innovation and job creation”, the President congratulated graduands, parents and sponsors for their perseverance throughout the academic journey.
He said The Gambia’s development ambitions require strong institutions capable of generating knowledge to inform policy development, legislation, public programmes and national strategies, as well as support inclusive decision-making processes.
“My government’s vision is that our institutions become a vital bridge between training and public policy. In particular, our universities must position themselves as strong centres of excellence for policy research, dialogue and support,” Barrow said.
He challenged the UTG and other higher learning institutions to lead in shaping public policy discourse, reduce reliance on external expertise and contribute to addressing national challenges.
According to him, strengthening collaboration between government, universities, industry and development partners is imperative, noting that closer links between producers and users of knowledge are essential.
The President observed that a rapidly changing global environment, driven by technological advances, artificial intelligence, climate change and shifting labour markets, makes innovation indispensable for national competitiveness, economic diversification and social progress.
In this regard, he said Gambian universities must produce graduates who are creative, adaptable and solution-oriented.
Barrow further underscored the need to strengthen partnerships between universities and the private sector through co-creation, while increasing investment in research to drive innovation across all sectors.
He also called for the establishment of incubation and innovation hubs based on strong university-industry linkages to transform ideas into practical solutions.
