A delegation from the Virtual University of Cote d’Ivoire has paid a working visit to the University to explore possible areas of collaboration.

The delegation was made up of Prof. Mian Bi Sehi Antoine, Prof. Fernand K. Kouame and Mr. Bakouan Mamadou.

Introducing the delegation, the Director of Information Communication Technology Services, Dr. Regina Gyampoh, said she met the officials of UVCI at a conference in Lome, Togo and through interaction, they expressed interest in collaborating with UCC to share best practices and experiences. 

Making a presentation Prof. Kouame said VUCI was set up as a result of the national initiatives based on ECOWAS reforms on Higher Education. He indicated that there was a national decree on the adoption, application and the organization of the Bachelor, Master and PhD curricula. He said the reforms were aimed at setting up a digital environment by reducing the high pressure on space and infrastructure and also promote internationalization agenda of public universities in Cote d’Ivoire.

These development he noted, led to the establishment of VUCI in 2015. He said the aims of the University included providing face-to-face teaching in developing the opportunities of distance learning and the production of digital resource as well as integrate Information Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching and research process. 

Prof. Kouame said the University has a total of 6, 500 students pursuing Computer Science with six specialties through distance learning. He said the current students were made up of the first and second batches admitted since the inception of the University.

According to Prof. Kouame, the visit was intended to explore opportunities to improve and extend its programme and also establish a partnership with UCC in the area of Distance Learning. He further said the collaboration would include mobility of students and lecturers and joint research work.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, commended VUCI for identifying UCC for collaboration and noted that UCC was open for mutually beneficial collaborations. He said UCC was also putting in place measures to integrate ICT into its distance learning programmes noting that “this is an opportunity to also learn how you also use technology to deliver lessons to your students”

Prof. Ampiah said UCC has been hosting French students from some francophone countries in Africa including Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Togo for English Proficiency Course adding that “Our students also spend a full academic year in Togo and Cote d’Ivoire so we can easily work this out to benefit the two institutions”

The Vice-Chancellor proposed the setting up of a technical team comprising members of the two institutions to work out the modalities for the collaboration after which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) could be signed for implementation.

Present at the meeting were the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K. T. Oduro; Registrar, Mr. Kofi Nyan; Provost, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Livingstone K. Amoah; Provost, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh; Provost College of Education Studies, Prof. Eric Magnus Wilmot; Provost, College of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong.

Others were the Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Ernest L. Okorley; Prof. John Nelson Buah of the College of Distance Education; Dean, Centre for International Education, Prof. Rosemond Boohene; Director, Centre for Teaching Support, Prof. Douglas Agyei; Director of Academic Affairs, Mr. Jeff Onyame; Ag. Director of Public Affairs, Major Kofi Baah-Bentum and Rev. Isaac Baafi Sarbeng.