DRID

The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development (DRID) is the research engine of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC). Its core mandate is to promote a vibrant research culture by supporting faculty and student research, fostering innovation, driving interdisciplinary collaboration, and facilitating public-facing scholarly engagement.

DRID oversees research policies, organizes academic events, coordinates research funding opportunities, and builds strategic partnerships with institutions locally and globally. Through seminars, publications, training, and collaborative projects, DRID ensures that UniMAC’s research activities address national development priorities while advancing global academic discourse.

Themes

  • Strategic Communication and Political Discourse: Focus on how communication shapes democratic processes, political engagement, and governance in Ghana and Africa.
  • Digital Media and Innovation: Exploring the impact of digital transformation on journalism, PR, advertising, and media practices, including AI and ethics.
  • Gender, Media and Representation: Research on gender narratives, identity politics, and equality in media spaces.
  • Communication for Development (C4D): Examining media’s role in health communication, education, climate action, and civic engagement.
  • Media, Culture and Society: Cultural studies in language, semiotics, media ethics, and indigenous communication.

Publications

DRID has facilitated numerous academic outputs including the following:

  • Research Publication Seminars: Including topics like “Cultural Conceptualization of Political Terminologies in Ghanaian English,” “The Image of Africa in Hollywood Films,” and “The Election Dividend: Communication and Civic Responsibility.”
  • Inter-faculty Research Seminars: Showcased faculty-led studies on political communication, public safety, and local governance.
  • Ongoing Book Projects: Including a comparative volume on media and elections in Ghana (2020 vs. 2024).
  • Working Group Outputs: Political discourse, gender and media, digital ethics, and public health communication.