At St Andrews Lean Consulting, we’ve been proud to work alongside Ghana’s higher education sector for over a decade — helping universities strengthen leadership, improve processes, and deliver better outcomes for students and staff alike.
Our journey began back in 2015, when a small group from the University of Cape Coast visited St Andrews to explore Lean thinking. Since then, we’ve trained senior leaders from every public and technical university in Ghana and most of the country’s colleges of education, equipping them with practical tools for process improvement and organisational change.
In 2018, we introduced a leadership development element to the programmes, led by Dr Sandra Romenska, Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Leadership Development at the University of St Andrews Business School. Sandra’s expertise has added a fresh dimension to the training, combining Lean thinking with powerful approaches to leadership.
A Gathering of Ghana’s Higher Education Leaders
This summer, we were delighted to once again host a group of 20 senior leaders from Ghana’s public universities. Among them were 19 Registrars and Directors of Finance — the most senior non-academic staff in their institutions — representing 13 of Ghana’s 16 public universities. We were also joined by the Executive Secretary of Vice-Chancellors Ghana, the body representing the leaders of all 16 public universities.
Over the years, we’ve also delivered bespoke programmes for Vice-Chancellors and Principals of colleges of education, reflecting our long-standing commitment to supporting leadership development at every level.
An Inspiring Setting, A Transformational Experience
This latest programme ran from Tuesday 26th to Thursday 28th August at the De Vere Wokefield Estate near Reading — an elegant venue that provided the perfect backdrop for collaboration and learning.
The programme opened with Emmanuel Peterworth, a lawyer, academic, and speechwriter, who delivered two dynamic sessions:
- Transform Your Public Speaking – Master Your Public Presentation Abilities to Increase Your Confidence
- How to Differentiate Yourself in a High Performance World
Both sessions set the tone for an engaging and energising three days.
Leadership, Innovation, and Lean Thinking
From there, Dr Sandra Romenska led a series of thought-provoking leadership workshops designed to challenge, inspire, and equip delegates for the evolving challenges of higher education leadership. Her sessions explored:
- Energy Intelligence – Leading with Resilience and Focus
- AI in Action – Your Leadership Power Tool
- Conflict Mastery – Turning Tension into Progress
- Emotional Intelligence – Lead with Impact
- Leading Change in Turbulent Times
Sandra’s ability to weave together research, practical insights, and interactive discussion created a highly engaging experience for everyone involved.
On the final day, Mark Robinson opened with a short session on “Building Your University Brand”, before leading a hands-on session focused on identifying improvement opportunities using Lean principles. Delegates explored practical techniques for spotting inefficiencies and finding better ways of working — and, in true St Andrews Lean Consulting style, we brought the concepts to life through interactive activities.
From building pyramids of paper cups to sketching the Loch Ness Monster and even naming all the countries in Europe, the exercises helped reinforce key Lean ideas while keeping the energy high and the learning memorable.
Looking Forward
The three days were enjoyable, collaborative, and full of insight — another step forward in our ongoing partnership with Ghana’s higher education community. We remain committed to supporting universities as they strengthen leadership, improve processes, and deliver better outcomes for students, staff, and stakeholders.
If you’d like to learn more about our Lean and leadership training programmes — whether in the UK, Ghana, or elsewhere — we’d love to hear from you.