Prof. John Yaw Akparep attains full Professorship in Organisational Conflict Management
The University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) Governing Council has confirmed the promotion of John Yaw Akparep from Associate Professor to full Professor in Organisational Conflicts Management.
The elevation, which took effect in December 2025, was confirmed at a Council meeting held in Wa on March 31, 2026.
Prof. Akparep said his academic feat signified his commitment to contributing to national development through academic research.
“Research is one of the ways of contributing to national development because the research products inform policy decisions, and so, I am contributing my quota to development”, he explained.
Prof. Akparep commenced his academic research at the then Wa Campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in January 2011 as a Senior Research Assistant in the Department of Management Studies.
He was appointed Assistant Lecturer in 2013 and became Lecturer at the same university in 2015, steadily rising through the academic ranks.
Prof. Akparep has over 40 peer-reviewed publications to his credit and has supervised over 50 graduate students.
His research focuses on Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour, particularly in conflict management, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) development, and agribusiness promotion.
Prof. Akparep, also a Chartered Economist, holds a PhD in Social Administration, an MPhil in Development Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Development Studies, all from UDS.
He also holds an International Diploma in Business, Economics and Commerce from Cambridge International College in the United Kingdom and a Teacher’s Certificate ‘A’ from Offinso Teacher Training College.
Prof. Akparep currently serves as Dean of the School of Business at UBIDS and a representative of Convocation on the University Council.
He was appointed Vice Dean of the School of Business in 2022 and became the Dean of the School in 2025.
He is a Commissioner of the National Development Planning Commission and a member of the Commission’s Executive Committee, where he represents the Bono East Region, as well as the Convenor of the Governance and Public Sector Reform Committee.
As an accomplished academic and practitioner, Prof. Akparep serves on seven boards, including the Board of Directors of the Ghana Permaculture Institute, where he is the Board Chairperson.
Over the years, he has held several administrative roles at the university, including Examinations Officer at both departmental and school levels, and Industrial Attachment Coordinator.
He was also the founding Head of the Department of Health Service Management and Administration in 2021.
He has worked as a Business Development Consultant, collaborating with organisations such as the BUSAC Fund, the Ghana Skills Development Fund, and USAID-supported initiatives, including the Ghana Trade and Investment Activity and ADVANCE projects.
In recognition of his dedication to teaching and academic excellence, Prof. Akparep has received multiple awards, including the Best Lecturer for the Wa Campus of UDS in the 2017/2018 academic year and Best Lecturer of the UBIDS School of Business in 2021.
He was also named the Second-Best National Students Lecturer of the Year 2020 under the National Students Awards Scheme and received an Excellent Paper Award at an international conference in London in 2019.
Professor Akparep also has rich experience in student affairs, having served as President of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) from 2009 to 2011.
He had also served as the President of the Students Representative Council (SRC), and represented students on the UDS Governing Council for two years, and as a School Prefect in his Basic and Second Cycle Schools.