The School of Performing Arts (SPA) at the University of Ghana has held a one-day workshop for faculty and students with visiting Israeli scholar, Professor Roy Horovitz.
The workshop took place at the ISSER Conference Facility on Monday, January 26, 2026.
Speaking to Univers News on the sidelines of the event, Professor Horovitz from Bar-llan University in Israel said he was impressed with the quality and dexterity demonstrated by both faculty and students of the School of Performing Arts during the workshop discussions.
“I have been very impressed with the quality of work put in by the lecturers, staff, and students of the School of Performing Arts here at the University of Ghana after this interaction. From what I have seen and observed, Ghana is endowed with both the human capital and talent to fully maximise the returns of the theatre and drama industry to boost the country’s economic potential and create sustainable jobs for practitioners in the field, much like what we have managed to do in Israel,” he said.
The Head of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Ghana, Dr Tabitha Harriet Deh, also explained that the workshop was initiated through a collaboration between the Israeli Embassy and the School of Performing Arts, aimed at tapping into global trends in the field to enhance the quality of training offered to students and staff.
“The partnership between the School of Performing Arts and the Israeli Embassy is intended to build deliberate connections that broaden the horizons of both staff and students in contemporary theatre and drama performance. Working with a globally exposed professional like Professor Roy Horovitz from Bar-llan University is a win-win for all stakeholders,” she said.
Dr Deh further noted that contemporary theatre and drama play a critical role in shaping society and transmitting knowledge across generations, as envisioned by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, through the establishment of the Institute of African Studies in the 1960s.
“Theatre and drama hold significant influence in society because virtually all life phenomena can be taught and dramatized in ways that relate to the everyday realities and sensitivities of ordinary citizens, particularly in education and social transformation.
“Dr Kwame Nkrumah recognised the importance of the field in impacting millions of people as far back as the early 1960s, which culminated in the establishment of the Institute of African Studies to train practitioners and preserve local traditions and knowledge systems, while safeguarding indigenous African identity in a rapidly urbanising world,” she added.
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Story by Sika Togoh | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
