Professor Rita Akosua Dickson made history as the first female Vice‑Chancellor of KNUST, serving from August 2020 to July 2026.

During her tenure, she spearheaded a digitalisation drive, modernising administrative and academic systems and ensuring continuity of teaching through online platforms during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

She also prioritised student support, launching the SONSOL Project, which provided laptops and learning devices to needy students, thereby promoting equitable access to digital education.

In addition, she encouraged multidisciplinary research and collaborations, particularly in pharmaceutical sciences and natural product chemistry, strengthening KNUST’s academic profile

Contributions to Science and Education

Her scholarly contributions were equally significant. As a pharmaceutical chemist, she advanced knowledge in medicinal plants, bioactive compounds, and drug analysis, contributing to the development of medicinal compounds derived from natural products.

She mentored numerous postgraduate students, building capacity within Ghana’s scientific community, and authored several publications that enhanced KNUST’s reputation in pharmaceutical sciences.

Awards and RecognitionProfessor Dickson’s leadership and scholarship earned her multiple accolades. In 2026, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ghana Women of Excellence Awards for her contributions to tertiary education and scientific research.

Earlier, in 2020, she was honoured with the Excellence in Education Award at the Ghana Women of the Year Honours by Glitz Africa. She is also a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and the Ghana College of Pharmacists, and benefited from prestigious fellowships such as the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship and the Novartis/Seeding Labs Fellowship.

Beyond academia, Professor Dickson represented Ghana on the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Africa Region between 2017 and 2019. She actively promoted the use of indigenous natural resources to meet healthcare needs, reflecting her commitment to community engagement.

Her tenure also strengthened global collaborations, building partnerships with institutions in the UK and US, which enhanced KNUST’s international visibility and research impact.