Senior Lecturer, Department of Food Technology

Kumasi Technical University (KsTU)

Country President, Institute of Hospitality (IH) • Country Chairperson,

WITED

Dr. Patricia Owusu-Darko is a distinguished academic and Senior Lecturer

in the Department of Food Technology at Kumasi Technical University

(KsTU). She holds the distinction of being the first woman on the staff of

KsTU to attain a PhD, and stands as a leading figure in Food Science and

Technology and Hospitality education in Ghana.

EDUCATION & ACADEMIC CAREER

Dr. Owusu-Darko completed her secondary education at Aburi Girls’ Secondary School before earning a Bachelor

of Science and a Master of Philosophy in Biochemistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and

Technology (KNUST). She obtained her PhD from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, United Kingdom,

where she also served as a Teaching and Research Assistant during her doctoral studies.

At Kumasi Technical University, she has held a series of key leadership positions:

■ First substantive Head, Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management Department

■ Foundation Director, Office of International Affairs and Institutional Linkages

■ Foundation Dean, Graduate School

■ Deputy Director, Institute of Research, Innovation and Development

■ Programmes Coordinator, Institute of Distance and Continuing Education

She has additionally served on — and chaired — several statutory and ad hoc committees of the University.

CONTRIBUTIONS & EXPERTISE

Dr. Owusu-Darko has been influential in developing curricula for Food Technology, Hospitality and Tourism

programmes, playing a pivotal role in drafting syllabi approved by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission

(GTEC). Her areas of expertise include Food Safety and Hygiene Training, post-production value addition of local

staples towards food security, and the development of lexicons for specific food products. Her wider interests

span Food Science and Technology, Hospitality Science, and Food Policy analysis and implementation.

■ Supervised over 500 postgraduate and undergraduate research projects, and served as external examiner

and assessor of promotional documents for various universities

■ Expert panel member for GTEC programme accreditation in Hospitality and Food Technology at

undergraduate and postgraduate levels

■ Accredited trainer, Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland — trained over 3,500 food handlers in the

formal and informal sectors in food hygiene, HACCP, and food and health

■ Organised several exhibitions on value addition of local staples and rebranding the Ghanaian food basket for

global relevance

■ Contributor to national and international discussions on food issues, gender, and tertiary education; published

in reputable journals and textbooks

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENTS

Dr. Owusu-Darko has served as a consultant and resource person for organisations including the Ghana

Tourism Authority, Nestlé, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. She has also served as an Adjunct

Senior Lecturer in Food Safety and Quality Management Systems at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of

Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), where she structured the syllabus for the Master

of Technology in Catering and Hospitality.

CURRENT POSITIONS & AFFILIATIONS

■ Country President — Institute of Hospitality (IH)

■ Country Chairperson — Women in Technical Education and Development (WITED); KsTU Chair of WITED

■ Country Ambassador — Global Harmonization Initiative

■ Member — Ghana Science Association; Ghana Association of Food Scientists and Technologists; Food

Authenticity, UK; Global Food Safety Initiative

VISION & ADVOCACY

Dr. Owusu-Darko is passionate about the highest standards of food authenticity and integrity, food safety, and

excellent hospitality-sector delivery. A committed advocate for the empowerment of women in hospitality and in

technical and vocational education, she continues to contribute significantly to conversations on food and

hospitality, women’s empowerment, and tertiary education development in Ghana and beyond.