Prof. John K. M. Mawutor, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) has detailed the internal workings of what he calls the “Mawutor Mandate” for ethical entrepreneurship.
The occasion was an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, after he delivered a transformative keynote address at the Engineering in Africa Conference 2026, organised by the National Society of Black Engineers(NSBE), Ghana.
The event served as a platform for the Vice Chancellor to challenge the technical community to prioritize moral integrity alongside scientific achievement.
Prof.Mawutor stressed that professional success must be rooted in an unshakeable internal foundation arguing that the drive to be a successful entrepreneur starts from the right workings of one’s own mind.
He asserted that “confidence must be anchored in character,” suggesting that technical skill without moral substance is insufficient for true leadership. This exclusive insight emphasizes that personal integrity is the primary engine of sustainable innovation.
In addressing the practical path of the innovator, Prof.Mawutor encouraged a fearless approach to failure and advised students and professionals to “desist from expensive mistakes” that will be made during the development process by fostering a culture where individuals constantly ask questions and test their ideas.
He believes the African engineering landscape can produce solutions that are both technically robust and socially responsible.
The Vice Chancellor also noted that the global market is currently experiencing a significant shift in its requirements for leadership.
He stated that the world is looking for ethically upright people who can be trusted with complex projects noting that this global demand requires innovators to be honest about their solutions and strictly accountable for the work they produce and ensure that no shortcuts are taken at the expense of quality or safety.
Prof.Mawutor candidly explored the distinction between personal codes of ethics and moral social learning noting that while individuals are guided by their own codes, there is a collective responsibility to “doing things right” through social education.
He acknowledged that every person has a “bad and good side,” and many are tempted by the “bad side” when it serves their immediate personal benefit.
Consequently, he argued that society must do more to educate people on the deep, often hidden implications of doing the wrong thing.
On long-term consequences of unethical choices, Prof.Mawutor warned that while “evil” actions might yield short-term benefits for an individual, they inevitably result in the long-term suffering of others.
For the Vice Chancellor, being ethically upright is not just a personal choice, but a social necessity to prevent the exploitation of the community for individual gain.
To ensure these principles are ingrained in the next generation, UPSA has taken the unprecedented step of making ethics a central part of its curriculum.
Prof.Mawutor revealed that the university has introduced compulsory ethics and entrepreneurship courses for all undergraduate students. This policy, which began this year, requires students to take these courses every year of their academic journey to ensure that ethical thinking becomes a permanent habit.
The Vice Chancellor’s vision of ethics even extends to how individuals interact with their environment.
He used the example of an ethically upright person respecting the “creatures all around the tree.” He noted that a truly moral individual would not litter in a public garden, but would instead take the time to look for a dustbin, illustrating that ethical uprightness manifests in the smallest daily actions.
To back these educational efforts, the university has implemented a formal ethical code of conduct that applies to all students and staff.
Prof.Mawutor confirmed that this code is strictly enforced through a system of formal sanctions to ensure that there are tangible consequences for failing to meet the institution’s moral standards, reinforcing the idea that accountability is a vital pillar of professional life.
Vice Chancellor Mawutor admonished students to make full use of the engineering labs available to them to test their ideas and contribute to the field.
He emphasised that the combination of high-tech resources and high-level character is what will define the successful African architect of the future and thus serve as a reminder that the ultimate goal of education is to produce innovators who are as honest as they are talented.
By Mohammed T. Kataba
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