- Provosts in collaboration with Heads of Department and Deans of Faculty/School shall supervise the administration of postdoctoral activities in their respective colleges.
- Heads of Department are to ensure that the research activities to be pursued during the postdoctoral training fit into the overall research agenda of the department.
- The offer of postdoctoral training shall be contingent on the strength of the department at the time of the application. Heads of Department shall expressly state the implication of the postdoctoral training on teaching, research and community services in support or otherwise of applications submitted.
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Provosts shall submit the following documentation to the Vice-Chancellor for final approval.
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Letter of appointment (Postdoctoral appointees) and offer (Postdoctoral fellows). The letter shall categorically provide information on the following:
- Proposed research activities to be undertaken during the period of the postdoctoral training.
- Duration of the postdoctoral training.
- Funding sources.
- Proof of Doctoral Degree
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Letter of appointment (Postdoctoral appointees) and offer (Postdoctoral fellows). The letter shall categorically provide information on the following:
- Postdoctoral training undertaken by both appointees and fellows shall be granted by the University only once in the lifetime of an Academic.
- Beneficiaries of postdoctoral training are expected to abide by all statutes of the host University.
In order to ensure continuous improvement of the professional attributes of faculty, the University of Cape Coast declares its support for postdoctoral activities and therefore has developed this policy to guide its administration.
The University recognizes two categories of postdoctoral activities. Category one, covers postdoctoral activities that are undertaken by external faculty members on the University of Cape Coast campus while category two refers to postdoctoral training pursued by faculty of this University in other universities/institutions. The University therefore recognizes two categories of people undertaking postdoctoral activities. These are postdoctoral appointees (Category One) and postdoctoral fellows (Category Two).
For the avoidance of doubt, the University defines postdoctoral training as research oriented activities pursued with the aim of enhancing professional skills that are directly related to the subject area of the postdoctoral appointee/fellow. The adoption of this definition by the University implies that postdoctoral activities debars the pursuance of the other two professional engagements of faculty namely, teaching and outreach. The restriction of postdoctoral activities to only research is informed by the University’s quest to attain recognition as a research-oriented institution. The University may in the future, expand the scope of postdoctoral training to cover other endeavours of scholarship.
Postdoctoral conditions shall not in anyway be interpreted as either sabbatical or study leave.
The National Varietal Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC) of the Ministry of Agriculture has approved four new varieties of cowpea developed by a team of researchers from the University of Cape Coast.
The four new varieties are climate resilient and high yielding cowpea genotypes adaptable to the coastal savannah areas in Ghana and will boost high production in the three regions in Northern Ghana where Striga infestation and drought are major challenges to farmers.
According to the Principal Investigator of the project, Professor Aaron T. Asare, who is a Plant Biotechnologist, the approval of the four newly developed varieties was welcoming and would contribute towards ensuring food security and poverty reduction which is in line with government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative.
Rationale behind the Release of New Varieties of Cowpea
Prof. Asare explained that the team was motivated to develop and select Striga, rust, viral and drought resistant as well as high yielding and early maturing cowpea genotype for farmer cultivation in wider agro-ecological zones in Ghana to meet consumer needs. He said cowpea production in the country was very low in spite of the high consumption of the crop. He indicated that the nutritional value of the cowpea crop was comparatively very healthy adding that, “Cowpea is consumed in most homes in Ghana and it is common to find people patronising waakye or gari and beans”
Characteristics of the Newly Developed Cowpea
Prof. Asare said the new varieties have a short maturity period and they could be cultivated at least two times in a year. He explained that in terms of climate and land, Ghana had the right climatic condition and adequate land for the cultivation of cowpea to meet the demands of the nation and also for export. “Ghana has a wide range of agro-ecological zone, which has not been exploited for cowpea production. Given the needed support, the University of Cape Coast through this project can help the nation produce enough cowpea throughout the year,” he stated.
First Stage of Approval
The approval by NVRRC forms the first stage of the processes leading to the official release of the cowpea to Ghanaian farmers. The NVRRC is the authority responsible for approving the official release of new crop varieties in Ghana based on laid down procedures.
After the first stage of the process which involved the inspection of the newly developed varieties of the cowpea, the committee was happy about the nutritional value and resistance to drought, Striga, rust, and other viruses. As part of the process, the newly developed varieties which are more drought and disease resilient and high yielding would be certified by the National Seed Council (NSC) before being released to seed production companies for onward distribution to farmers in Ghana.
Recommendations By NVRRC
The leader of the NVRRC, Prof. Richard Akromah, said they have recommended to the UCC team of researchers to multiply the seeds and make them available to the farmers since they were the ultimate beneficiaries. He also entreated them to develop a production guide to help farmers and users about the agronomic practices so as to achieve maximum benefits.
UCC Cowpea Project
The UCC Cowpea Project, is funded by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It is being piloted in some communities in the Central and Upper East regions of Ghana. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) and Plant Genetic Resources Research Institutes (PGRRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the University of Virginia, USA.
The National Varietal Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC) of the Ministry of Agriculture has approved four new varieties of cowpea developed by a team of researchers from the University of Cape Coast.
The four new varieties are climate resilient and high yielding cowpea genotypes adaptable to the coastal savannah areas in Ghana and will boost high production in the three regions in Northern Ghana where Striga infestation and drought are major challenges to farmers.
According to the Principal Investigator of the project, Professor Aaron T. Asare, who is a Plant Biotechnologist, the approval of the four newly developed varieties was welcoming and would contribute towards ensuring food security and poverty reduction which is in line with government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative.
Rationale behind the Release of New Varieties of Cowpea
Prof. Asare explained that the team was motivated to develop and select Striga, rust, viral and drought resistant as well as high yielding and early maturing cowpea genotype for farmer cultivation in wider agro-ecological zones in Ghana to meet consumer needs. He said cowpea production in the country was very low in spite of the high consumption of the crop. He indicated that the nutritional value of the cowpea crop was comparatively very healthy adding that, “Cowpea is consumed in most homes in Ghana and it is common to find people patronising waakye or gari and beans”
Characteristics of the Newly Developed Cowpea
Prof. Asare said the new varieties have a short maturity period and they could be cultivated at least two times in a year. He explained that in terms of climate and land, Ghana had the right climatic condition and adequate land for the cultivation of cowpea to meet the demands of the nation and also for export. “Ghana has a wide range of agro-ecological zone, which has not been exploited for cowpea production. Given the needed support, the University of Cape Coast through this project can help the nation produce enough cowpea throughout the year,” he stated.
First Stage of Approval
The approval by NVRRC forms the first stage of the processes leading to the official release of the cowpea to Ghanaian farmers. The NVRRC is the authority responsible for approving the official release of new crop varieties in Ghana based on laid down procedures.
After the first stage of the process which involved the inspection of the newly developed varieties of the cowpea, the committee was happy about the nutritional value and resistance to drought, Striga, rust, and other viruses. As part of the process, the newly developed varieties which are more drought and disease resilient and high yielding would be certified by the National Seed Council (NSC) before being released to seed production companies for onward distribution to farmers in Ghana.
Recommendations By NVRRC
The leader of the NVRRC, Prof. Richard Akromah, said they have recommended to the UCC team of researchers to multiply the seeds and make them available to the farmers since they were the ultimate beneficiaries. He also entreated them to develop a production guide to help farmers and users about the agronomic practices so as to achieve maximum benefits.
UCC Cowpea Project
The UCC Cowpea Project, is funded by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It is being piloted in some communities in the Central and Upper East regions of Ghana. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) and Plant Genetic Resources Research Institutes (PGRRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the University of Virginia, USA.
The maiden J-TERM at URI Coastal Resources Center was a success! Our undergraduate students shared wonderful insights from the 2018 J-TERM Students Exchange Programme at the University of Rhode Island, USA. Watch what they had to say!
The School of Agriculture, has organised a five-day training in "Principles and Practice of Land Surveying" for practitioners and professionals in Land Surveying and Town and Country Planning Department.
The workshop is among the series of training programmes being organised by the various Departments of the School of Agriculture to upgrade the knowledge and skills of practitioners and professionals from various fields. Participants for the workshop were from different regions of the country working in the Town and Country Planning, Department of Survey, Lands Commission and private surveyors. They were taken through topics such as: “Understanding the basic principles in plane surveying; Comprehending the fundamentals of traversing in Land Surveying; Application of GPS techniques in Land Surveying; Application of the general ethics in Land Surveying and Understanding land laws in Ghana”.
In his opening remarks, the Coordinator of the short courses at the School, Dr. Julius Hagan, entreated participants to take the training seriously and consider upgrading themselves regularly to be abreast with current trends in the industry. He noted that the School has designed series of short courses for different categories of professionals and encouraged other interested groups to enrol to upgrade themselves.
A Senior Lecturer at the Department of Soil Science Dr. Edward A. Ampofo, advised the participants to consider constant upgrading of skills and knowledge to ensure their continuous stay in business. Professor Okai-Anti, from the Department entreated the trainees to abide by the ethics of the profession in order to keep faith with their clients. Present at the opening ceremony were, Dr. Kofi Attia and Dr. Chris Phares, from the Department of Soil Science. Others included Dr. Martin Bosompem of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension.
The training was facilitated by Engineer Dr. Ebenezer Gyamera, of the Department of Soil Science, who was also one of the instructors. Other instructors were, Engr. Twum; Surveyor Christian Quarcoo; Prof. Kumi Boateng; and Lawyer Acquah-Annan.
The School of Agriculture, has organised a five-day training in "Principles and Practice of Land Surveying" for practitioners and professionals in Land Surveying and Town and Country Planning Department.
The workshop is among the series of training programmes being organised by the various Departments of the School of Agriculture to upgrade the knowledge and skills of practitioners and professionals from various fields. Participants for the workshop were from different regions of the country working in the Town and Country Planning, Department of Survey, Lands Commission and private surveyors. They were taken through topics such as: “Understanding the basic principles in plane surveying; Comprehending the fundamentals of traversing in Land Surveying; Application of GPS techniques in Land Surveying; Application of the general ethics in Land Surveying and Understanding land laws in Ghana”.
In his opening remarks, the Coordinator of the short courses at the School, Dr. Julius Hagan, entreated participants to take the training seriously and consider upgrading themselves regularly to be abreast with current trends in the industry. He noted that the School has designed series of short courses for different categories of professionals and encouraged other interested groups to enrol to upgrade themselves.
A Senior Lecturer at the Department of Soil Science Dr. Edward A. Ampofo, advised the participants to consider constant upgrading of skills and knowledge to ensure their continuous stay in business. Professor Okai-Anti, from the Department entreated the trainees to abide by the ethics of the profession in order to keep faith with their clients. Present at the opening ceremony were, Dr. Kofi Attia and Dr. Chris Phares, from the Department of Soil Science. Others included Dr. Martin Bosompem of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension.
The training was facilitated by Engineer Dr. Ebenezer Gyamera, of the Department of Soil Science, who was also one of the instructors. Other instructors were, Engr. Twum; Surveyor Christian Quarcoo; Prof. Kumi Boateng; and Lawyer Acquah-Annan.
The person exercising the authority of employment on behalf of the University shall ensure that the employment contract or other agreement establishing any type of employment relationship between the University and the Researcher/Inventor/Innovator/Creator includes a provision placing the Researcher/Inventor/Innovator/Creator under the scope of the Policy.
Students, including undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral fellows of the University undertaking research shall be bound by this Policy.
The person authorised to enter into an agreement on behalf of the University shall ensure that Researchers/Inventors/Innovators/Creators not employed by the University, including Visiting Researchers, shall sign an agreement to be bound by this Policy and an assignment agreement in respect of ownership of IP created by them in the course of their activities that arise from their association with the University before commencing any research activity at the University.
Notwithstanding Paragraph 4.3., special arrangements may be needed to meet prior obligations of Visiting Researchers. Any such requested special arrangements shall be assessed and decisions shall be taken on a case-by-case basis by the person or Unit designated by the University.
Special arrangements may be needed for research activities pursued by a Researcher employed by the University, but working in another institution as academic visitor. In such cases, the Researcher may be required by a third party to sign any document which might affect the University’s IP Rights. In order to avoid any subsequent disputes, the Researcher is not permitted to sign any such documents without the written approval of the person or Unit designated by the University. The approval shall not be denied if no University IP Rights are being affected. If such a document affects the University’s IP Rights, the University shall initiate negotiations to enter into an agreement with the third party, as described in Section 5.
Rights and obligations under this Policy shall survive any termination of enrolment or employment at the University.
This Policy shall apply to all Intellectual Property created on or after the date of approval by the Council of the University of Cape Coast and all IP Rights associated with them.
This Policy shall apply to all Researchers/Inventors/Innovators/Creators who have established legal relationship with the University based on which the Researchers/Inventors/Innovators/Creators are bound by this Policy. Such a legal relationship may arise pursuant to the provision of law, collective agreement or individual agreement.
The present Policy shall not apply in cases in which the Researchers/Inventors/Innovators/Creators entered into an explicit arrangement to the contrary with the University before the effective date of the Policy, or the University previously entered into an agreement with a third party concerning rights and obligations set out in this Policy.
One of the goals of the University of Cape Coast, as set out in the research policy, is to encourage creativity and prompt and open dissemination of ideas and inventions by recognising and rewarding individual members of faculty, non-teaching staff and students. The commitment to develop new knowledge includes facilitating the practical application of that knowledge for public use. The University wishes to demonstrate that the public and private investments in funded research at UCC result in the creation of ideas and inventions that benefit society.
The University wishes to preserve the academic tradition of faculty ownership of certain scholarly works within the context of applicable law. The laws of Ghana provide that the University owns all intellectual property created or developed by an employee within the scope of his or her employment, including works developed under sponsored research or other agreements and works that make significant use of University funds or facilities. In seeking an appropriate balance between academic tradition and law, UCC’s Intellectual Property Policy recognises certain exceptions to the law that are well-established traditions in the academic setting.
The present Policy relates to the ownership, protection and commercial exploitation of Intellectual Property created by Researchers/Inventors/Innovators/Creators in the course of their duties or activities at the University. The document sets out the rules of the University for cooperation with industrial and business organisations and provides guidelines on the sharing of the economic benefits arising from the commercialisation of Intellectual Property.
The purpose of this Policy is to educate members of the University community about their rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property. This Policy also describes the ways in which UCC faculty, non-teaching staff and students can protect the intellectual property that they create for their benefit as well as preserve the interests of the University and the public.
It is anticipated that this Policy will be augmented from time to time by statements of policy or practice that are focused on particular types of intellectual property, especially those arising out of new or evolving media or technology. Further, this Policy may be amended over time to effect changes deemed to be in the best interest of the University community.
This Policy aims to:
- Promote, encourage and aid scientific investigation and research;
- Provide legal certainty in research activities and technology-based relationships with third parties;
- Set out the University’s procedures on the identification, ownership, protection and commercialisation of Intellectual Property;
- Ensure timely and efficient protection and management of Intellectual Property;
- Facilitate the recording, monitoring and maintenance of the University’s Intellectual Property portfolio;
- Ensure that economic benefits arising from the commercialisation of Intellectual Property are distributed in a fair and equitable manner, recognising the contributions of the Inventors, the University as well as any other relevant stakeholders;
- Enhance the reputation of the University as an academic research institution and the visibility of the researchers, creators and inventors.
In recognition of the foregoing, the University shall:
- Recognise the right of faculty, non-teaching staff and students to publish their own research results and other scholarly information unless the principal investigator has agreed to restrictions in the agreements supporting such sponsored research.
- Ensure that any individual who creates intellectual property should have a significant role in the determination of how such intellectual property will be registered, protected, enforced, monitored, publicised, commercialised or developed.
- Permit faculty, non-teaching staff and student inventors/authors the freedom to place their inventions in the public domain if they believe that would be in the best interest of science or technology transfer and that doing so would not violate the terms of any agreement.
- Provide patent, copyright, licensing, legal advice and technology transfer services to assist in the registration, enforcement, monitoring, protection, marketing and promotion of University-owned intellectual property.
- Provide services for registering trademarks and service marks.
- Provide the necessary financial resources for the protection and commercialisation of intellectual property, in appropriate cases.
- Reward authors and inventors through sharing of royalties from inventions assigned to the University.
- Reward Colleges, Faculties/Schools and Departments for creating productive research environments by sharing a portion of the royalties from inventions assigned to the University.