Access to compute is a necessity for learning, innovation and participation in today’s AI-driven world. Yet many Ghanaian students face significant barriers that limit their ability to build, design and innovate. The Northern Ghana AI Lab invites Ghanaian students- undergraduate, master’s, or PhD to participate in a compute needs assessment initiative. Through your participation, we aim to produce an evidence-based report which will serve as a basis for mobilising funding for compute.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
- Undergraduate, master’s or PhD students at any Ghanaian university whose research/project substantively uses AI or machine learning — not as a buzzword.
- Your research has been scoped down because of compute constraints.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Complete the survey [Click Here]. The form is available in English. If you would prefer to draft sections in any Ghanaian language and have us translate at our end, write to info@hopinacademy.org and we will work with you on that.
TIMELINE
The call runs in two phases: evidence gathering and fundraising. The phases overlap. You can apply at any point during the evidence-gathering phase.
Phase 1 · Evidence gathering — now until July 6 2026
Applications open and remain open until July 6. Aggregated data is compiled and the first draft of the public compute needs report is shared with applicants for review in early August 2026, with the final report published in September 2026.
Phase 2 · Fundraising — September 2026 through early 2027
We make the case to funders, with the report and — with permission — named cases as evidence. We expect the first compute access to be secured in late 2026 or early 2027. Applicants in this round receive priority access in the order their need was documented, with the Northern Ghana preference applied. Updates on fundraising progress are shared with applicants monthly.
Phase 3 · Allocation — once funding is secured
Once compute is funded and ready to allocate, we contact applicants in priority order to confirm continued interest and current compute needs (which may have evolved since the application). Awards are formalised at this stage. If your circumstances have changed, you can decline or update your request without penalty.
Questions, hesitations, or unsure whether to apply? You can reach us at info@hopinacademy.org — we aim to respond within three working days.
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