20/08/2026
Who is Prof. Issahaku Adam?
● Born on 24 June 1985 and raised in Ejura in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
●A native of Gunsi in the Mion District of the Northern Region of Ghana.
● Completed his primary education at Somdania L/A Primary School in Ejura in 1997.
● Attended Brigade Junior High School, where he completed his basic education in 2000.
● He continued his secondary education at Atebubu Secondary School and obtained his SSCE certificate in 2003.
● In 2004, he gained admission to the University of Cape Coast (UCC), where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Tourism in 2008.
●Following his undergraduate studies, he served as a Teaching Assistant in the then Department of Geography and Tourism during his national service from August 2008 to July 2009.
● Obtained a Master of Philosophy degree in Tourism Management from UCC in 2011 and was subsequently appointed Senior Research Assistant in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in November 2011.
● Appointed Assistant Lecturer in 2013 and, upon completion of his PhD in Tourism Management in March 2015, was upgraded to the rank of Lecturer.
● Promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in August 2020.
●At the age of 37, he attained the rank of Professor in February 2023, making him one of the youngest professors in the history of the University of Cape Coast.
● Published extensively in leading international tourism journals, including highly ranked journals listed in the prestigious Academic Journal Guide (AJG) published by the Chartered Association of Business Schools. His publications include articles in Tourism Management, one of the leading journals in the field of tourism research.
● Recognised among the world’s top 2% of scientists in the Stanford–Elsevier global ranking for three consecutive years—2023, 2024 and 2025.
● At UCC, he has served as Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, where he led the re-accreditation of all eight programmes in the Department, from bachelor’s to PhD level.
●He also led the introduction and accreditation of the Master of Science in Tourism Management and the Master of Science in Hospitality Management programmes.
● As an academic and supervisor, Prof. Adam has supervised 21 MPhil and 11 PhD students to completion, including PhD students at the University of Johannesburg.
●He has also contributed to curriculum development at UCC and internationally, including at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman and Dalhousie University in Canada.
● Beyond the University, Prof. Adam served as a Council Member of the Tamale College of Education from 2016 to 2021, during which period he served on the Council’s Audit Committee and Appointments and Promotions Board.
●He was also a member of the Central Regional Tourism Development Committee from 2021 to 2024 and served on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana from 2020 to 2022.
● Secured and facilitated 21 faculty exchanges and 68 international student exchanges with universities in Europe and the Sustainable Tourism Global Centre in Saudi Arabia. This included facilitating the participation of 36 students and four faculty members in the 2023 Middle East and North Africa Region Climate Week and Youth Summit in Saudi Arabia.
● He has led a critical project funded through the the African Peacebuilding and Developemental Dynamics of the Social Science and Research Council titled: " Towards Durable Peace: Tourism-Induced Natural Resource Conflict in the Kakum National Park Area of Ghana."
● He is a Senior Research Associate at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa and a National Geographic Explorer.
● He is currently a founding member and Africa Director of the Gender, Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom.
● Prof. Adam currently serves as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Cape Coast.
● Married to Hajia Rafia Bukari, and they have two children: Aadilah Maltiti Adam and Amal Anamzoya Adam.
● Delivered his inaugural lecture on Thursday, 20 August 2026, on the topic: “The Autopilot Dilemma: Conscious and Coordinated or Piecemeal and Opportunistic Approach in Ghana’s Tourism Development Journey.”