CCST Board Re-appoints Prof. Mark Appiah as College President
The Governing Board of the CSIR College of Science and Technology (CCST), under the Chairmanship of renowned educationist Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, has reappointed Professor Mark Appiah as President of the College for a second five-year term.
This reappointment comes in recognition of his remarkable achievements during his first tenure. Additionally, upon the recommendation of the University of Cape Coast, the Board has approved Prof. Appiah’s promotion from Associate Professor to the rank of Full Professor.
A statement issued by the Board highlighted Prof. Appiah’s significant contributions to CCST, including:
- Hosting the College’s inaugural graduation ceremony and three subsequent ones, totaling four graduation ceremonies
- Expanding postgraduate academic programmes from eight to 19, including:
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- PhD/MPhil/MSc in Climate Change and Integrated Natural Resources Management
- PhD/MPhil/MSc in Food Science and Technology
- PhD/MPhil/MSc in Soil Health and Environmental Resources Management
- MPhil/MSc in Industrial Animal Nutrition and Feed Production
- MPhil/MSc in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture
- PhD/MPhil in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
- MPhil/MSc/PgD in Transport Planning
- MPhil/MSc/PgD in Transport Engineering
- MPhil/MSc/PgD in Construction Engineering
Prof. Appiah also serves as a Corporate Director at CSIR-Ghana and has held pivotal leadership roles, including Deputy Director of the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-FORIG) from July 2017 to July 2019 and Vice Chair of its Governing Board.
During his tenure as Deputy Director, Prof. Appiah spearheaded the development of a Master’s programme in Bioeconomy and Natural Resources Management at CSIR, affiliated with the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), which was implemented from 2012 to 2018.
Prof. Appiah has led and contributed to numerous national and international forestry and education projects funded by esteemed organisations such as the Academy of Finland, the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), the World Bank, and the Finnish Foreign Ministry. His efforts have significantly advanced forestry education, agroforestry management, and biodiversity conservation in Ghana.
As a prolific scholar, Prof. Appiah has authored or co-authored over 60 publications in his areas of expertise and serves as a reviewer for 10 high-impact academic journals. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Tropical Forestry at the University of Eastern Finland.
His professional affiliations include membership in the Society for Ecological Restoration, the Finnish University Partnership for International Development (UniPID), the African Forest Forum, and the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration. He has served on various boards, including the Board of Directors of the FinCEAL Regional Advisory Group, which promotes science, technology, and innovation partnerships between Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Prof. Appiah’s academic journey began with a Diploma in Agricultural Education from the University College of Education, Mampong Campus (1992–1995). He went on to earn an MSc in Land Use in Developing Countries from the University of Copenhagen (1997–1999) and completed his PhD in Tropical Silviculture at the University of Helsinki (1999–2003).
Prof. Mark Appiah’s distinguished career continues to advance forestry, education, and sustainable development, both in Ghana and internationally.