Professor Dzodzi Tsikata has been elected President of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA). The election took place at the recent 14th General Assembly of CODESRIA held in Senegal from 8-12 June 2015.
Professor Tsikata, who will serve a three-year term, is a Professor at the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER). https://isser.edu.gh/ Her research areas are in Gender and Development Issues, Gender Equity Policies and Practices, Land Tenure Systems and Agrarian Livelihoods, The Politics of Land Tenure Reforms, Informal Labour Relations and Work Conditions and Gender Issues in Higher Education.
CODESRIA, recognised as the pioneer African social research organisation and the apex non-governmental centre of social knowledge production on the continent, was established in 1973 as an independent pan-African research organisation primarily focusing on social sciences and humanities research in Africa. CODESRIA’s mission is the emergence of a pan-African community of researchers, the protection of their intellectual freedom and autonomy in performing their duties and the elimination of barriers regarding language, discipline, region, gender and generation. Its objectives are to promote and facilitate research, knowledge production and dissemination in Africa using a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach. CODESRIA publishes 12 journals, numerous monographs and edited books, and organises its work through training institutes, national, multi-national and comparative research networks and conferences.
In congratulating Prof. Tsikata, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ernest Aryeetey said her election was a major achievement, adding that “Your election brings great honour and pride to the university.”
The University of Ghana https://www.ug.edu.gh/ has a long and proud association with the Council. The late Professor Kankam Twum-Barima, former Director of ISSER, and Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr, former Vice Chancellor, served as CODESRIA’s second and eighth Presidents respectively. In addition, several members of the University have been members of CODESRIA’s Scientific Committee and Executive Committee. The Institute of African Studies currently hosts CODESRIA’s African Humanities Institute.