Rowland Apentiik was born and grew up in Sandema-Bilinsa/Bilinmonsa as the son of parents without any formal education. After passing his BA (Hons) examination at the University of Ghana (Legon), he studied archaeology at the University of Calgary (Canada), where, in 1997, he wrote his MA thesis under Dr. Nick David and Prof. em. Peter Shinnie (theme: Bulsa Technologies and Systems of Thought).

In December 2002 he was awarded a PhD for his thesis entitled: An Ethnoecological Study of Bulsa Land Use, Upper East Region of Ghana: Implications for Sustainable Development. The official ceremony took place on June 14, 2003. Congratulations!

About his current activities, his research interests and future plans Rowland A. Apentiik writes:

I am currently a lecturer in the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary. My areas of teaching cut across many disciplines: African and Diaspora Studies, Development Studies, Geography, Environmental Studies and Anthropology...

As a strong advocate of interactive and experiential learning, over the past two years I have been involved in running the African Field School (organized by the University of Calgary) as a way of exposing students to practical development and environmental issues. These summer field schools run for between six and eight weeks involve taking students to Ghana and other parts of Africa where they undertake various independent projects...

During the last two years, based on continued field research and field schools in Africa, my research interest has evolved to include the examination of the role of Ethnic and Youth Associations in democratization and decentralization processes, community development and environmental management issues in rural Northern Ghana.