[10] In 1997, Awuah left Microsoft with the goal of returning to Ghana to educate the next generation of African leaders.

Awuah, Nina Marini, and other graduate students from Berkeley went to Ghana to do a feasibility study for opening a private university there.

[16] John Kufuor presented Awuah the Order of the Volta Award to recognise his contribution to tertiary education in Ghana in 2007.

[18] In 2014, he received The Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award, which honours UC Berkeley alumni with distinguished records of service to their native country.

[20] In 2015, Awuah was listed by Fortune as number 40 in world's 50 greatest leaders[5] and was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship.