Joseph R.A. Ayee is the Dean, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ghana, Legon since April 2002. He obtained his PhD degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was Head, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon from October 1995 to September 2000. He was promoted to the grade of Full Professor in August 1997. In 2001, he was appointed the UNESCO/United Nations University Leadership Academy (UNULA) Chair in Leadership Studies in Amman, Jordan. He was also a Visiting Commonwealth Research Fellow, Department of Politics, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom from October 1993 to July 1994.

Professor Ayee is the author of four books and 120 articles, chapters in books and book reviews covering areas like policy implementation, decentralization, civil service, state enterprises, privatization, the ombudsman, public finance, human resource development, elections, code of ethics, environment, governance, leadership and politics in Ghana. The books are: An Anatomy of Public Policy Implementation: The Case of Decentralization Policies in Ghana, (Avebury: Aldershot, England, 1994, xii+256pp, ISBN 1 85628 957 5);Decentralization and Conflict: The Case of District Chief Executives and Members of Parliament in Ghana (Friedrich Ebert Foundation: Accra, 1999, xi+104pp, ISBN 9988-572-61-1); Saints, Demons, Wizards and Systems: Explaining the Success or Failure of Public Policies and Programmes (Inaugural Lecture) (Universities of Ghana Press: Accra, 2000, 63pp, ISBN 9964-3-0275-4); and Leadership in Contemporary Africa: An Exploratory Study (United Nations University Leadership Academy: Amman, Jordan, 2001, 140pp, ISBN 3210-096-80-6). He has also edited three books on the Ghanaian elections of 1996 and 2000. Some of his articles have appeared in the following journals: International Review of Administrative Sciences, African Affairs, African Studies Review, Canadian Journal of African Studies, Development and Change, Regional and Federal Studies, Public Administration and Development, Democratization, Africa Development, African Administrative Studies, Africa Journal of Public Administration and Management and Africa Journal of Political Science.

He has also presented papers at over 100 international and local conferences, seminars and workshops. His current research interests include issues in leadership in public and corporate institutions, the politics of managing public toilets, sanitation in District Assemblies, organizational culture of environmental health officers and tax officials, politics of land tenure system and retention of academic staff.

Professor Ayee has written over 60 consultancy reports for a number of international and local organizations.