I warmly welcome you to the website of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana. I am honoured to lead IESS into its next chapter, building on a rich legacy of insightful research, teaching, and policy engagement.

IESS is a leading training and research institute at the University of Ghana (UG), the premier higher educational institution in Ghana, with well-established systems that support national and international collaborations. Our mission is to meet the nation’s needs for broad-based education, training, and research in the science, policy, and management of environmental and sanitation processes within the wider African and global context.

One of the primary strengths of IESS lies in its faculty, whose multi- and transdisciplinary backgrounds span the basic and applied sciences, including the social sciences, as well as in our highly skilled technical staff with the capacity to conduct diverse ecological analyses. The Institute also draws on faculty from various departments across the University of Ghana in delivering its teaching and research mandate.

Our vision is clear: to position IESS as the leader in interdisciplinary research, teaching, and innovation within the environmental and sustainability domains in Ghana and the sub-region. As a leading research and teaching institute, IESS brings together a strong team of competent researchers and support staff who conduct cutting-edge, policy-relevant work addressing Africa’s environmental and sustainability priorities.

We collaborate with global, regional, and national partners to undertake impactful research that informs policy and practice. Our portfolio spans interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary projects across Africa, and we welcome partnerships in research and advocacy.

We are ready to work with partners to drive Africa’s environmental and sustainability transformation. Our graduate programmes—PhD Environmental Science, MPhil Environmental Science, MPhil Sustainability Science, and MPhil Environmental Sanitation Studies—provide rigorous training that produces professionals serving in academia, industry, government, NGOs, and multilateral institutions.

These programmes equip students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience required to address environmental and sustainable development challenges, including waste management, mining, coastal erosion, deforestation, climate change, and pollution. Our focus remains on strengthening the relationship between society and the environment through innovative and sustainable solutions.

The nature of our training continues to produce graduates who are versatile, research-oriented, globally competitive, and prepared to take on leadership roles in environmental management and sustainable development.

IESS’s strategic priorities reinforce our leadership in research, teaching, policy advice, and advocacy, while ensuring we remain responsive to the evolving academic and research landscape. In this regard, we are introducing a new set of short courses designed to respond directly to the needs of key stakeholders, including industry.

Whether you are a prospective student, alumnus, researcher, policymaker, current student, or development partner, I invite you to explore our website and engage with our work. Together, we can generate the evidence and ideas needed to advance inclusive environmental protection and sustainable development in Ghana, across Africa, and globally.

Thank you for visiting, and please feel free to contact us should you require any further information.

Professor Daniel Nukpezah
Director, IESS
University of Ghana