Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah is a Professor of Science Education at the University of Cape Coast, where he has taught courses in science education, qualitative research and ethnographic research in science education since 1996. He has been a professional teacher since 1987. His research interests are in science education, teaching and learning of science at primary, junior high and senior high school levels, science classroom environments, in-service education and training.
Prof Joseph Ghartey Ampiah has been involved in 28 national and international projects. He has worked with researchers from Africa, Japan, India, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the USA. He has led major international projects such as Africa-Asia University Dialogue Research for Basic Education Development Project on Quality of basic education at classroom-level, funded by the Japanese government: Multi-site case study of basic schools in Ghana. Project funded by JICA, CICE-Hiroshima University, UNESCO and United Nations University, Tokyo (2005-2007); Universal Primary Education Policy, Administrative and Financial Systems in sub-Saharan Africa in collaboration with Kobe University, Nagoya University both in Japan, and Universities in Ethiopia, Malawi, Kenya and funded by JICA from 2006-2008; Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE) Project, which was a multi-site study involving India, South Africa, Bangladesh and Ghana (in collaboration with University of Sussex, UK) and funded by DFID from 2006-2009; Africa-Asia University Dialogue Research for Basic Education Development Project Phase II- Finance, Decentralisation Policies for Quality Improvement at School Level, funded by MEXT and CICE-Hiroshima University, Japan (2009-2011).
He has authored over 73 refereed publications based on his areas of interest. He has taught Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, full time and part-time in nine senior high schools in Ghana. He has been associated with assessment at the Teacher Training Colleges (now Colleges of Education) since 1996. He has been a Chief Examiner for science in the Colleges of Education since 2004 and External Examiner for the University of Education, Winneba, University of Ouagadougou and Internal Examiner for University of Cape Coast. He served as Coordinator, Centre for Research into Quality of Primary Education (CRIQPEG) (2006-2010), Head of Department of Science and Mathematics Education (2008-2010), Dean, Faculty of Education (2010-2014), Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor, 2012 and Acting Provost, College of Education Studies (2014-2016), and current Vice-Chancellor, University of Cape Coast. He was an International Advisory Board member of Compare (A Journal of Comparative and International Education), 2010-2015. He is Editorial Consultant, AFTRA Journal of Teaching and Learning in Africa, Reviewer for Comparative Education Journal (COMPARE), UK; member, Scientific Committee of the African Integration and Development Review (2013 to date); reviewer, SAGE Journal as well as many other local and international journals.
He is a member of the Ghana Chemical Society; Ghana Science Association, and The British Association for International and Comparative Education. He was a member of the National Teaching Council (2012-2015), National Council for Tertiary Education (2014-2017), and Chairman of the National Accreditation Board (2014-2017). Currently, Council Member, Strategic/Academic Committee, Centre for West African Studies, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and International Youth Fellowship Advisory Committee, South Korea.
He has served and continues to serve on over 50 Boards and Committees in and outside Ghana. Prof Joseph Ghartey Ampiah was Visiting Research Fellow, Sussex School of Education, University of Sussex, UK in 2003 and 2005. He was Visiting Professor at the Centre for International Cooperation in Education (CICE), Hiroshima University, Japan in 2006 and Research Fellow at the same Centre from 2007-2009. He was appointed Uniterra Internship Coordinator by the World University Services of Canada in 2008. He was Famous Overseas Scholar in Hunan City University, China in 2012. Also, in 2012 he was Australian Leadership Award Fellow to the University of Sydney, Australia.
