Winner of ‘The Challenge’ leaves RGU with Distinction

• Posted on October 7, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Agya Yaw Nsiah Agyemang won a scholarship at Robert Gordon University (RGU) after winning The Challenge, an Apprentice style reality TV show in Ghana.

The 25-year-old started his MSc International Business at RGU’s Aberdeen Business School in January 2015 and has now passed with flying colours and leaves Aberdeen with an MSc with Distinction.

The Challenge is a British Council Ghana initiative which promotes the UK as a destination offering a wide range of high quality, inspirational opportunities for personal development.

The competition came at the right time for Yaw as he was really looking to challenge himself with something more exciting and stimulating – which he says sums up his time at RGU.

The Challenge tasks are meant to test the contestants in all aspects of academia, business and real life situations. Among the tasks set was drafting a viable digital strategy plan for a bank, designing and modelling technology to improve the life of communities, shooting a documentary and developing and executing a marketing plan.

He qualified for the finale of the competition when his team developed the e-Paediatrician, a system which aims to rectify the health care deficit in rural Ghana by using digital connectivity to aid healthcare delivery in the community centres. At the finale, Yaw argued that creating a national development strategy and ideology was central to solving the developmental and economic issues confronting Ghana.

Yaw has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Aberdeen and has created some memories which will last him a life-time. He returns to Ghana at the end of October where he would like to continue studying for a PhD or gain some work experience in management consulting, while hopefully continuing to develop his competition winning idea.

Yaw said: “Before the competition, I had just graduated with a degree in political science and had completed one year of national service with a government ministry. Now, I have just completed my International Business from RGU in Aberdeen and I would highly encourage people to enter the competition as you could be doing the same thing next year.

“It’s a very exciting place to be. RGU is a university that has been built on the idea of trying to bring the best out in you – they rarely say ‘no’ to something, they say ‘try and let’s see if it makes sense’. This means you allow your students to bring out what is in them.”

Yaw continued: “At RGU, students are placed at the very centre of the course as it occurs in the real work environment. Your mind-set is shaped to deal with real life scenarios and offer solutions to the questions business managers and practitioners are confronted with.”

Jamie Hastings, RGU’s Regional Manager for Africa, said: “RGU has supported The Challenge and worked closely with the British Council in Ghana for the past five years and we were extremely proud to welcome Yaw to join us in January 2015 after winning season six.

“Yaw has contributed a lot during his time in Aberdeen and graduating with a distinction just shows how hard he has worked and flourished at university.

“RGU have committed to supporting season seven of The Challenge and we look forward to welcoming more top scholars to Aberdeen in the near future.

“RGU wishes Yaw all the best and success in future and we will no doubt be in touch again as he now joins our active and engaged West African Alumni network.”

By Stacey Horne
Communications Officer | Aberdeen Business School