The BR Institute, founded by media entrepreneur Nathan Kwabena Anokye Adisi, popularly known as Bola Ray, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) to expand entrepreneurship training, innovation, and industry collaboration for students.
The partnership, formalised on Monday, July 6, 2026, is expected to deepen UPSA's efforts to connect academic training with real-world entrepreneurial practice, while expanding opportunities for students to develop, refine, and commercialise innovative ideas emerging from their studies.
BR Institute has built a reputation as one of Ghana's leading entrepreneurship training institutions through its flagship Entrepreneurship with Bola Ray programme, a 20-week intensive course that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with practical business development skills, mentorship, and real-world market exposure. The programme, which was launched in partnership with UNESCO in September 2024, has successfully graduated multiple cohorts of young entrepreneurs.
The UPSA delegation was led by Vice-Chancellor Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, accompanied by Mrs Lorraine Gyan, Professor Samuel Antwi, and Dr Akushika Andoh. Representing the BR Institute were its founder, Bola Ray, and Mr Alex Brown.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Mawutor underscored the importance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students. He noted that UPSA is deliberately strengthening its academic and professional environment to encourage innovation, enterprise creation, and solution-driven learning.
"Students must be supported to look beyond traditional employment pathways and be empowered to identify opportunities, develop creative ideas, and implement solutions that address real challenges within communities and industry," Prof. Mawutor said.
As part of the agreement, BR Institute will collaborate with UPSA on the UPSA-1000 Initiative, a flagship programme under the Ghana Entrepreneurship Conference. The initiative is expected to convene students, investors, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to showcase innovative ideas and scalable business solutions developed within the university community.
The partnership is also expected to expose students to practical business experiences, helping them refine ideas, validate business models, and prepare for commercialisation through guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts.
