Staff Profile

Director of Research Innovation and Consultancy

Prof. Frederick Dayour

Prof. Frederick Dayour obtained his BSc. and MPhil degrees in Tourism Management at the University of Cape Coast and a PhD in Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Tourism and Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Frederick won numerous research and travel grants and scholarships, the most recent one being a 1-year DAAD postdoctoral research scholarship. He has consulted for and collaborated with many international development organisations including Mennonites Economic Development Associates (MEDA), GIZ, JICA, the European Union, the Mastercard Foundation, and Participatory Development Associates (PDA).

In addition to his contribution to teaching/learning, and community service, he has demonstrated sufficient expertise in scholarly writing, with over 40 published journal articles (https://scholar.google.co.uk). He has exhibited adeptness in securing grants along with providing consultancy services. Furthermore, he has played a pivotal role in organising and supporting research events, designed to enhance the experiences of both faculty and students and the visibility of the University.

He consistently contributes to scholarly discourses through top-tier journal publications and contributions to edited books in Tourism and Hospitality, and related fields. His influence spans locally and internationally, corroborated by his Senior Research Fellow role at the University of Johannesburg, international collaborations, and active engagement in international research events. He has served on the editorial board of the Ghana Journal of Development Studies and presently serving on the editorial board of Tourism Planning and Development journal. Additionally, he reviews manuscripts for several high-impact journals in the fields of tourism and hospitality, and climate change. His contributions extend to shaping national discussions on tourism and hospitality development in Ghana through research, radio talks, opinion pieces, and support to state actors like the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism. In terms of his impact on the research landscape at SDD-UBIDS, he initiated an annual research seminar series from 2019 to 2022. This initiative aimed to enhance the research skills of both internal and external academics. The seminar series has been transformed into the annual Research and Development Conference for the University.

Assistant Registrar and Acting Sectional Head of Administration

Grace Yirmaalu Dassah

Grace Yirmaalu Dassah is an Assistant Registrar and Acting Sectional Head of Administration at the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC). Before joining the University, she had over 10 years of teaching and administrative experience in Senior High Schools with the Ghana Education Service (GES). She was once a Municipal Girl-Child Coordinator (GES-Lawra), Senior House Mistress, House Mistress, Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) Teacher Mentor, Health Mistress, and Form Mistress all in Lawra Senior High School. She is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Management Consultants-Ghana, and a Chartered Professional Administrator (ChPA). She holds an MPhil in Educational Administration and Management, an MEd in Educational Administration and Management, a Diploma in Education, and a BA in Integrated Development Studies. Her research interest areas include Educational Leadership, Administration, and Management.