The June 2026 visit brought four University of Ghana academics to Brunel University London, with participation in the university’s Ageing Research Showcase and Research Showcase providing an opportunity to exchange knowledge and discuss the future of the UGORG partnership.
LONDON, United Kingdom | June 2026
Four academics from the University of Ghana visited Brunel University London in June 2026 to strengthen the partnership between the two institutions and advance joint work on ageing research, public involvement and the health and wellbeing of older adults.
Professor Jonathan Quartey, Professor Samuel Sarpong Antwi-Baffour, Dr Augustine Acquah and Dr Claude Fiifi Hayford took part in activities that included Brunel’s Ageing Research Showcase on 2 June and the Brunel Research Showcase on 4 June.
The visit built on the collaboration established through the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), which supported work between Brunel and the University of Ghana to develop the University of Ghana Older Adults Reference Group (UGORG). Launched in November 2025, UGORG provides a platform for older adults, academics and health professionals to contribute to ageing research and related activities.
Taking part in Brunel’s ageing research showcase
Held at Brunel’s Hamilton Centre on 2 June, the Ageing Research Showcase brought together research activities focused on health, wellbeing and later life. The programme included health assessments, interactive workshops, opportunities for public participation in research, and an update on UGORG and the partnership with Ghana.
For the visiting academics, the showcase provided an opportunity to engage with Brunel’s work on ageing and wellbeing and to share progress on the development of UGORG. The inclusion of the Ghana partnership in the programme also gave attendees an opportunity to learn about the work to establish a structured approach to older adults’ involvement in research in Ghana.
The showcase reflected a shared interest in making ageing research relevant to the experiences of older people and in creating opportunities for the public to engage with research. For the Brunel–University of Ghana partnership, it provided a setting to discuss how community involvement could inform research priorities and support future collaborative work.
Engaging with research across Brunel
The academics also participated in Brunel’s Research Showcase on 4 June, held at the university’s Eastern Gateway Building as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.
The event brought together researchers from different disciplines through talks, panel discussions, demonstrations, tours and a poster exhibition. One of its sessions, The Art and Science of Ageing Well: Health, Happiness and Humanity, explored the connections between health, happiness and ageing through perspectives from biological and social sciences.
Participation in the wider showcase allowed the visiting academics to engage with Brunel’s broader research environment and consider areas where the two universities could develop further links. It also provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with colleagues working on research relevant to health, wellbeing and later life.
Building on the UGORG partnership
The June visit formed part of the continuing work between Brunel and the University of Ghana since the initial workshop in Accra in February 2025. That workshop explored how the experience of Brunel’s Older Adults Reference Group (BORG) could inform the development of a similar, context-specific approach in Ghana.
The subsequent establishment of UGORG marked an important step in putting those discussions into practice. The group is intended to provide older adults with a continuing opportunity to contribute to research priorities and to help researchers understand the concerns and experiences of the communities their work serves.
During the June 2026 visit, the University of Ghana academics also shared updates on UGORG activities and engaged with Brunel leadership on matters of mutual interest. These discussions provided an opportunity to consider the next stages of the partnership, including joint research, PPIE development and capacity-building activities.
The collaboration brings together complementary experience from both institutions. Brunel contributes experience of operating an established older adults reference group, while the University of Ghana partnership provides the academic and local context needed to develop an approach suited to Ghana.
The June visit therefore served both as an opportunity to participate in Brunel’s research activities and as a continuation of discussions about how the partnership could develop. The focus remains on strengthening joint work and ensuring that older adults have a meaningful role in shaping research into their health and wellbeing.
For both universities, the next stage is to build on the relationships and activities already established, develop further collaborative research and strengthen the role of UGORG within ageing research in Ghana.