As the 2025 FISU University World Cup Football Tournament unfolds in Dalian, China, a delegation from the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana, paid a courtesy visit to the Dalian Ocean University (DOU), setting the stage for what both universities hope will become a long‐standing relationship of academic and sporting cooperation.

The UDS contingent was led by the Pro Vice‑Chancellor, Prof. Elliot Haruna Alhassan, accompanied by the Registrar, Mr. Nurudeen Issah Abubakar; the Director of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Hardi Shaibu; the Director of Sports, Mr. Ibrahim Tanko; members of the UDS Sports Advisory Committee, Prof. Gideon Helegbe and Mr. Yussif Abdulai; the Acting Director of University Health Services, Dr. John Kase; along with the entire playing body and their coaches.

Dalian Ocean University, previously known as Dalian Fisheries University until 2010, is the leading university in northern China specializing in marine, aquaculture, and ocean studies, while also offering a broad mix of other disciplines.

The UDS delegation was taken on a guided tour of DOU’s marine research facilities. They saw aquaculture laboratories, hatcheries where species such as clams, scallops, and crabs are cultivated. They visited sea‑water experimental pools along the coastline, and were shown how DOU manages its marine testing plots in the sea‑area under its jurisdiction. 

The delegation also inspected the university’s standards for breeding, disease control in aquaculture, and technology for marine species propagation. DOU’s involvement in developing new aquaculture species, and issuing standards and patents in the marine aquaculture sector impressed the visitors.

UDS has, through its Faculty of Biosciences, been investing heavily in aquaculture, fisheries, biological sciences, and biotechnology. The Faculty of Biosciences at UDS, established in 2020, comprises departments including Aquaculture & Fisheries Sciences, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology & Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Forensic Sciences, and others.  Prof. Elliot Alhassan, a professor in aquaculture, is a leading figure in UDS in its academic and research work in that field. 

During the visit, Prof. Alhassan and representatives from DOU discussed the similarities between the two institutions: both universities have strong aquaculture/fisheries programmes; both have growing research in aquatic sciences. Furthermore, both have universities with strong student sports programmes, and both see benefit in combining academic work with sporting exchange.

Both parties expressed optimism about establishing a formal partnership. Ideas floated included: Student and faculty exchange programmes, including possible short‑term visits of UDS students to DOU’s hatcheries and sea laboratories.

Shared training in aquaculture technology, marine‐oriented biotechnology, and coastal resource management.

During the tour, Prof. Alhassan emphasised how UDS sees aquaculture not just as academic discipline but as a tool for food security, livelihoods, and poverty alleviation in Ghana; and how learning from institutions such as DOU, which has decades of experience in marine aquaculture, could accelerate UDS’s capacity.

UDS is in Dalian for the 2025 FISU University World Cup Football, which runs from September 17 to 28.  The competition involves 24 universities from 17 countries, with men’s and women’s teams vying for honors at several venues across Dalian.  UDS’ opening matches earlier in the tournament saw the UDS team defeat the Universities of Sharjah of the UAE and the Ramon Llull University of Spain 2‑1 and 4-1 respectively.

As the visit ended, both the Ghanaian visitors and their Chinese hosts were visibly enthusiastic: what began as one university visit had the air of being the seed of a long‑lasting partnership. 

Story by Abdul-Hayi Moomen 
UDS media