From Kenkey Pan to Professor: The Pracademic Journey of Collins Badu Agyemang

Introduction: A Testament to Resilience and Impact

The narrative of academic ascension is often written in the language of prestigious grants, publications in elite journals, and tenure at world-renowned institutions. Yet, some of the most powerful stories emerge from the fertile ground of sheer determination, community-rooted purpose, and a revolutionary blend of theory with practice. The career trajectory of Professor Collins Badu Agyemang at the University of Ghana stands as a monumental testament to this alternative, yet profoundly impactful, path. Promoted to Associate Professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology in February 2026, he became the youngest scholar to achieve this distinction in his department since its inception in 1967. His journey, famously beginning with selling kenkey from an aluminium pan in Asante Mampong, has culminated in a title he embodies: the “Pracademic.” This term, a portmanteau of ‘practitioner’ and ‘academic,’ perfectly captures his life’s work—seamlessly integrating rigorous scholarly research with tangible, real-world application to advance mental health, workplace wellness, and human resource development across Ghana and the African continent.

This article delves deep into the multifaceted career of Prof. Agyemang, moving beyond the inspiring headline to analyze the concrete pillars of his success, his philosophy of “pracademicism,” and the practical lessons his journey offers for students, early-career professionals, and institutional leaders. We will explore his academic roles, professional leadership, unique pedagogical methods, and the foundational values that continue to ground his upward thrust.

Key Points: The Hallmarks of a Pracademic Leader

Before a detailed exploration, the core achievements and defining characteristics of Prof. Collins Badu Agyemang’s career are summarized below:

• Historic Academic Promotion: Appointed as Associate Professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology at the University of Ghana in 2026, the youngest in his department’s history (since 1967) to achieve this rank.
• The “Pracademic ABC” Model: Renowned for a unique approach that balances Academic research, Business application, and Community engagement, effectively bridging the notorious gap between psychological theory and organizational practice.
• Institutional Leadership: Serves as Director of the Pan African Doctoral Academy, shaping PhD training and mentoring for the next generation of African scholars.
• Multidisciplinary Influence: Contributes as cognate faculty to the University of Ghana Business School, Centre for Ageing Studies, Centre for Urban Management Studies, Computer Science, and Public Health departments.
• Prodigious Mentorship: Has supervised over 100 graduate and 300+ undergraduate students, known for practical, engaging pedagogy that often features high-profile guest speakers from sports and media.
• Professional Certification & Leadership: A Licensed Industrial and Organisational Psychologist and Chartered Human Resource Practitioner. Former President of the Ghana Psychological Association; current Board Chair of MentaPulse Africa.
• Public Intellectual & Advocate: A trusted media expert on mental health, workplace wellness, and HR best practices, influencing national discourse and corporate policy.
• Humble Origins & Gratitude: His story is rooted in humble beginnings in Asante Mampong, where he sold kenkey to support his education, a past he acknowledges with deep gratitude to his mother and mentors.

Background: Forging a Path from Humble Beginnings

The Mampong Foundation

To understand the scale of Prof. Agyemang’s achievement, one must first appreciate his starting point. Hailing from Asante Mampong in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, his educational journey began at St. Monica’s Primary School and continued at Amaniampong Secondary School. During these formative years, the responsibility of supporting himself and his family fell on his young shoulders. He took to the streets and markets, selling kenkey—a staple Ghanaian fermented corn dough—from an aluminium pan. This experience was not merely a childhood anecdote; it was a foundational lesson in resilience, customer interaction, and the economics of informal trade, themes that would later inform his scholarly interest in work psychology and entrepreneurial resilience.

This period cultivated in him a profound sense of appreciation and humility. He consistently credits his mother for her unwavering support and sacrifice. Furthermore, he acknowledges the pivotal role of key mentors, most notably Emerita Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, whose guidance provided the academic scaffolding and belief necessary to transform raw potential into scholarly excellence. This grounding in gratitude and community has remained a constant throughout his ascent.

Academic Formation and Early Career

Prof. Agyemang’s formal academic journey led him to the University of Ghana, where he specialized in Industrial and Organisational Psychology—a field dedicated to understanding human behavior in the workplace, improving organizational effectiveness, and enhancing employee well-being. His early professional appointments were at the Institute of Professional Studies (now the University of Professional Studies, Accra – UPSA) between 2012 and 2018. There, he served as a Lecturer, Departmental Research Officer, and later as Faculty of Management Research Officer.

At UPSA, he was instrumental in strengthening research culture and co-spearheaded the establishment of the International Conference on Business Management and Economic Development (ICBMED). This conference has since become a flagship academic event for the institution, demonstrating his early knack for creating sustainable platforms for scholarly exchange and practical knowledge dissemination—a clear precursor to his later “pracademic” work.

Analysis: Deconstructing the “Pracademic” Phenomenon

The title “Pracademic ABC” is not a self-bestowed moniker but a community-given label that succinctly captures the tripartite core of Prof. Agyemang’s professional identity. An analysis of his career reveals a deliberate and impactful strategy that defies the traditional, siloed academic model.

The “A”: Academic Rigor and Scholarly Contribution

At his core, Prof. Agyemang is a respected scholar. His promotion to Associate Professor is predicated on a substantial body of peer-reviewed research, successful supervision of numerous theses and dissertations, and significant contributions to his field’s knowledge base. His position as Director of the Pan African Doctoral Academy is perhaps the ultimate testament to his academic credibility. This academy is a premier institution dedicated to enhancing the quality and completion rates of doctoral research across Africa. Leading it requires not only personal scholarly achievement but also the ability to mentor others to the highest academic standards, shaping the future of doctoral training on the continent.

The “B”: Business Application and Organizational Impact

This is where the “pracademic” model diverges most significantly. Prof. Agyemang does not confine his expertise to lecture halls and journals. He actively consults for numerous private and public organizations as a company psychologist. His certifications as a Licensed Industrial and Organisational Psychologist and a Chartered Human Resource Practitioner are not just credentials; they are licenses to practice. He translates psychological principles into actionable strategies for HR development, organizational change, leadership training, and employee well-being programs. His role as a Board Member of Adansi Travels Limited and his contributions to the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Practitioners (Ghana) committees place him at the intersection of academia, business strategy, and professional standards-setting.

The “C”: Community Engagement and Public Advocacy

The third pillar is his unwavering commitment to public good. His media presence on platforms like Multimedia Group is not for personal branding alone; it is a form of public education. He demystifies concepts of mental health, advocates for holistic workplace wellness, and provides evidence-based commentary on societal issues. As Board Chair of MentaPulse Africa, a mental health advocacy platform, he champions systemic change. This role extends the classroom’s reach into communities, workplaces, and homes, fulfilling a critical social responsibility that many academics overlook. His famous classroom guests—like former Black Stars captain André Ayew, and journalists Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo and Gary Al Smith—are strategic moves in this community engagement. They bring real-world narratives of sports psychology and media resilience directly to students, making abstract theories viscerally relatable.

Multidisciplinary Integration: A University-Wide Impact

His influence at the University of Ghana is uniquely跨学科. By serving as cognate faculty for the Business School (Organization & HR Management), the Centre for Ageing Studies, the Centre for Urban Management Studies, Computer Science, and Public Health, he demonstrates that organizational psychology is a foundational social science. It applies to aging populations, urban management challenges, human-computer interaction, and public health campaigns. This multidisciplinary approach enriches the entire university ecosystem and positions him as a central node for collaborative, solution-oriented research.

Practical Advice: Lessons from the Pracademic Path

Prof. Agyemang’s journey offers more than inspiration; it provides a blueprint for actionable development for various audiences.

For Students and Early-Career Academics

• Integrate, Don’t Isolate: Seek internships, consultancy projects, and community engagements that directly apply your academic learning. Let your research questions be informed by real-world problems you observe.
• Build a “Portfolio Career”: Cultivate diverse skills—research, teaching, consulting, public speaking. Your value will increasingly lie in your ability to connect these domains, not excel in just one.
• Find a Mentor, Be a Mentor: Actively seek mentors like Prof. Agyemang’s Emerita Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu—individuals who see your potential and provide holistic support. Simultaneously, begin mentoring peers or juniors early; it reinforces your own learning and builds your network.
• Master Communication: Develop the ability to explain complex concepts simply, whether to a corporate board, a community group, or a classroom. Prof. Agyemang’s media success stems from this skill.

For Practitioners and HR Professionals

• Engage with Academia: Partner with university departments for applied research projects, offer practicum placements, and invite academics to conduct organizational audits. This creates a two-way knowledge flow.
• Pursue Dual Credentials: Consider combining advanced degrees (like an MSc or PhD) with professional certifications (e.g., from CIPD, SHRM, or local HR institutes) to cement your credibility as a bridge between theory and practice.
• Advocate from Within: Use evidence-based practices to champion mental health initiatives and wellness programs in your organization. Frame them not as perks, but as strategic investments in productivity and sustainability, using research from fields like Industrial-Organisational Psychology.

For University Administrators and Policymakers

• Create Incentives for Pracademic Work: Develop promotion and tenure criteria that formally value public engagement, industry consultancy, and community-based research alongside traditional publications.
• Fund Multidisciplinary Centers: Support structures like the Pan African Doctoral Academy or centers that link Psychology with Business, Public Health, and Urban Studies. These are hotbeds for innovative, applied solutions.
• Facilitate Industry-Academia Partnerships: Act as a broker, creating funded chairs, collaborative research grants, and executive education programs that solve real organizational challenges.

FAQ: Common Questions About Prof. Collins Badu Agyemang and Pracademicism

What exactly is a “Pracademic”?

A “Pracademic” is a professional who intentionally and equally combines a rigorous academic/research career with active, hands-on practice in their field. They are not an academic who occasionally consults, nor a practitioner who teaches part-time. Instead, they see theory and practice as inseparable and mutually reinforcing. Their work in one domain continuously informs and improves their work in the other.

How does Prof. Agyemang’s “Pracademic ABC” model work in practice?

The “ABC” stands for Academic, Business, and Community. In practice, this means: A research paper on employee burnout (Academic) directly informs the design of a wellness program he implements for a client corporation (Business), which is then adapted into public radio discussions about managing stress (Community). The cycle is continuous and synergistic.

Why is his promotion considered historic for the University of Ghana’s Psychology Department?

Since the Department of Psychology’s establishment in 1967, no scholar as young as Prof. Agyemang had been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. This highlights both the exceptional quality and volume of his output and signals a potential shift in recognizing diverse forms of impactful scholarship within the institution.

What is the Pan African Doctoral Academy, and why is it important?

The Pan African Doctoral Academy (PADA) at the University of Ghana is a dedicated support unit for doctoral students and supervisors. Its mission is to improve PhD completion rates and the quality of doctoral research across African universities. It offers workshops, writing retreats, and mentorship. Its importance lies in addressing the “leaky pipeline” in African higher education, where many PhD students struggle to finish, thereby strengthening the continent’s research capacity.

How does his early life selling kenkey relate to his current work?

While not a direct research subject, the experience instilled core values: resilience in the face of daily challenges, an intuitive