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Strategic Theme 4: Promote responsible research, innovation and knowledge transfe

Strategic Theme 3: Enhance international visibility and diversity of the University

Strategic Theme 2: Promote Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Culture

Theme 1: Build Resilient Teaching and Learning Culture

1.1 Develop resilience into the curricula

1.2 Enhance ICT integration and expand online teaching and learning

1.3 Integrate design and system thinking into the curriculum

1.4 Enhance the dynamic frameworks to provide a holistic teaching and learning

1.5 Enhance physical environment conducive for teaching and learning

1.6 Reinforce diagnotics, formative and summative assessments

1.7 Enhance postgraduate programmes delivery

1.8 Intensify the design and delivery of Continuous Professional Development programmes

1.9 Strengthen the engagement of Industry in curriculum development and delivery 

1.10 Enhance the delivery of distance, sandwich and off campus programmes

The Vision, Mission, Core Values, Strategic Thrusts and Key Actions detailed in this document summarise the operational objectives and priorities of the University. The identified key thrusts and accompanying actions, when successfully implemented, will enable the institution move towards achieving its vision to be a University with worldwide acclaim. For any Corporate Plan to succeed, it must be owned by the various stakeholders. It is, therefore, imperative for the strategic direction of the University to be explained to all stakeholders to ensure buy-in. This would then create conditions for commitment and support for the initiatives outlined in the Plan.

Key Thrusts

Nine key thrusts have been identified in this third Corporate Strategic Plan in response to the Vision, Mission and the outcomes of the internal and external scans. Through these thrusts, the University seeks to transform itself and to promote its niche areas to achieve competitive advantage. The key thrusts are:

  1. Promote active and reflective teaching and learning environment that seeks to improve students' life and produce graduates with strong ethics and commitment to society.
  2. Strengthen and improve ICT infrastructure and facilities that enhance usability.
  3. Improve upon physical infrastructure and municipal services that support conducive working and learning environment.
  4. Attract, recruit, develop and retain high calibre and motivated staff who are innovative and globally competitive.
  5. Strengthen research capacity and output to position the University as a centre of excellence.
  6. Embark on internationalisation drive that seeks to enhance the visibility of the University.
  7. Improve revenue generation and enforce fiscal discipline to achieve operational and financial sustainability.
  8. Improve upon institutional governance system that provides leadership for equal opportunity, teamwork, efficiency, discipline and commitment.
  9. Create an organisation capable of continuously learning, transforming itself and responding to change.

Action Plans and Responsibilities

In operationalising the strategic thrusts, the plan adopts a matrix approach with each of the thrusts broken down into specific actions. These key actions indicate the activities that need to be pursued under each of the strategic thrusts to achieve the targets of the Plan. To ensure accountability and control, the Plan identifies office holder(s), as well as the primary and secondary implementers for each key action. Targets/performance indicators outline the expected outcomes for each of the key actions, and with the time frames, provide the markers for monitoring and timely implementation of activities. By focusing on achieving the targets, management will be able to measure progress towards achieving the strategic objectives of the institution.

Responsibility for oversight of the execution of the Plan is assigned to the Vice Chancellor, and in some cases, with the Registrar. These two offices have the overall responsibility to ensure effective management of the process. The matrix for implementing the thrusts are detailed in Appendix 1.

Third Plan

This third Corporate Strategic Plan builds on the two previous ones (2003-2008 and 2012-2017), and takes cognisance of the experiences and developments in the University, in the country and in the world over the last decade. Among the major internal dynamics that informed the development of this Plan are the adoption of the Collegiate and Directorate systems of governance, expansion of programmes, and the rapidly expanding population and facilities to meet the demands for higher education. During an assessment of the 2012-2017 Corporate Strategic Plan, it was observed that although the plan accomplished its overall goals, some of the targets set could not be achieved. Among them are gender parity among lecturers, staff and students, matching budgets to plans and improving lecture and laboratory facilities. This third plan seeks to continue with aspects of the previous plan which could not be achieved but are still relevant and the introduction of new initiatives.

In 2014 and 2015, the University invited the African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM) and the International Association of Universities (IAU) respectively to assess its operations. The main objective of the visits was to provide the University with independent assessments of its operations, and from the results, develop strategies to strengthen its governance, programmes and internationalisation policy.

In its report, the AQRM panel noted that: “The University of Cape Coast professionally and objectively assessed itself and that it is aware of the areas that need improvement for the University to become a world-class institution”.

The University deems it necessary to put measures in place to ensure that it becomes a world-class institution. Similarly, the outcome from the IAU review has informed the internationalisation policy and programmes of the University.

This Plan has been developed at a time that the country is taking a critical look at the role of higher education in national development within the context of Agenda 2057- the 40-year Long-Term National Development Plan. The goal of the Agenda is for Ghana to become a middle-income country at the centenary of independence (2057). UCC's current Plan seeks to position the University to contribute to the achievement of this Long-Term National Goal. At the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic year, Government introduced the Free Senior High School policy. This implies that by 2020, three years into the current Strategic Plan, there will be students seeking tertiary education from the programme. Thus, the Plan seeks to respond to the demands that this policy will create for higher education. At the international level, ranking, based on research output of faculty and staff as well as visibility in virtual space, has become a yardstick for assessing institutions.

This poses both a challenge and an opportunity for the University to chart a path and create niches for itself.

The focus of this Plan, therefore, is to:

  1. Enhance academic visibility of the University through focused research;
  2. Strengthen the holistic education provided which is a hallmark of the University;
  3. Promote and incorporate ethical values in all the activities of the institution;
  4. Improve administrative and support services of the University;
  5. Place the University in a competitive position in the country and Africa; and
  6. Enhance the institution’s contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the country.

Corporate Internal Scrutiny

Developing a corporate strategy requires assessment of the internal capacities and configuration of an organisation. In view of this, a comprehensive value- chain analysis was undertaken to determine the effectiveness and competitiveness of the University's operations. The essence is to identify and consolidate strengths, as well as the required strengths, to mitigate weaknesses. The following strengths and required strengths were identified:

Strengths

  1. Running of a broad-based liberal and professional education programmes;
  2. Vast landed property;
  3.  National and international reputation for academic rigour;
  4. Excellent setting for scholarly work;
  5. An equal opportunity institution;
  6. Skilled and innovative academic and administrative staff;
  7. Good teaching and learning tradition;
  8. Active students; and
  9. Growing institutionalised community service.

Required Strengths (Challenges)

  1. Institutionalising teamwork;
  2. Entrenching a culture of research excellence;
  3. Ensuring reliable ICT infrastructure;
  4. Instituting mechanism to raise funds internally and externally; 5.Institutionalisingeffectivemonitoringandevaluation systems;
  5. Institutionalisingeffectivemonitoringandevaluation systems;
  6. Engaging national and international agencies proactively;
  7. Strengthening alumni relationship and community engagement;
  8. Developing robust strategies to deal with encroachment on University lands; and
  9. Promoting stronger and more dynamic system of supervision and coordination.

Corporate Environmental Scan

Understanding the external factors which have potential impact on the corporate actions of the University is imperative. The factors could be economic, political, socio-cultural, technological and legal. An appraisal of the University identified the following opportunities and threats:

Opportunities

  1. Increasing demand for higher education within the country and in the West African sub-region;
  2. Availability of National and International awards, grants and programmes for research;
  3. Globalisation in academia;
  4. Increasing movement of staff and students in higher education institutions within the West African sub-region;
  5. A fledgling oil and gas industry close to the University; and
  6. Private sector initiatives and involvement in higher education.

Threats

  1. Competition from national and international Universities offering programmes similar to those offered at UCC;

  2. Unstable state of national economy;

  3. Unreliable power supply;

  4. Dwindling/Unreliable subvention from government; and

  5. Global political and economic instability.

Vision

To be a globally acclaimed University for innovative teaching, research, outreach and professional development.

Mission Statement

We are an equal opportunity University uniquely placed to use alternative methods in offering quality, liberal and professional education that challenges learners to be creative, and morally responsible global citizens to the developmental needs of the changing world.

Core Values

Excellence: We seek to pursue excellence through the creation of standards in teaching, intellectual inquiry, engagement and professional practice which inform and permeate all aspects of the University's operations.

Empowerment: We offer opportunities to our employees and students in a manner that empowers them to be agents of change wherever they find themselves.

Equal Opportunities: We strive to provide equal opportunity, access to quality education and services to all categories of persons regardless of colour, creed, ethnicity, gender, social status and physical ability.

Ethical behaviour: We uphold acts of honesty and responsible behaviour and holds our members accountable for their actions and conduct in a way that promotes integrity of the person and the image of the University.

Environmental consciousness: We are committed to protecting and preserving the environment by constantly creating awareness in students and staff on the need to desist from activities that harm the environment.

Corporate Slogan

The University of Cape Coast is the University of Competitive Choice.

Introduction

The University of Cape Coast was established in October, 1962 as a University College affiliated to the University of Ghana, Legon. On 1st October, 1971, the University College became an autonomous institution with the authority to confer its own degrees, diplomas and certificates by an Act of Parliament - The University of Cape Coast Act, 1971 [Act 390]. The first Act was subsequently replaced with the University of Cape Coast Law, 1992 [PNDC Law 278]. The existing Law (P.N.D.C.L. 278) is under review after being in force for 25 years.

The University was established with an original mandate to train graduate professional teachers for Ghana's second cycle institutions and the Ministry of Education to meet the manpower needs of the country's accelerated education programme at the time. This original mandate was revised in the mid-1990s, and led to the University expanding and diversifying its programmes in response to changing needs.

Re-organisation of the University

The revision of the mandate also led to the re-organization of the management of the University, beginning with the creation of new faculties/schools. These new schools and faculties are the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Science and Technology Education, School of Professional Development and Outreach, School of Business, School of Medical Sciences (SMS), School of Allied Health Sciences (SAHS), the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Faculty of Law.

As part of the re-organization, the schools and faculties in the University were grouped into five Colleges namely, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (CANS), College of Humanities and Legal Studies (CHLS), College of Health and Allied Sciences (CoHAS), College of Education Studies (CoES) and College of Distance Education (CoDE). The main objectives for the change were to bring related disciplines together to promote collaboration, ensure efficiency and decentralise aspects of administration. To support and improve teaching and research, the Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance (DAPQA) and the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) were also created.

The Office of the Registrar has similarly undergone re-organisation with the originalfourdivisionsupgradedtoadministrativeDirectorates. These are the Directorate of Academic Affairs (DAA), Directorate of Human Resource (DHR), Directorate of Legal, Consular and General Services (DLCGS), and the Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA). In 2012, a new directorate, the Directorate of Information, Communication and Technology Services (DICTS), was created to reflect the role of ICT in the operations of the University. Prior to that, four sections of the Central Administration, namely; University Health Services, Physical Development and Estate Management, Finance and Internal Audit were elevated to the status of Directoratein2005.

As part of the transformation of its systems, the University established the Institutional Advancement Office (IAO) in 2014 to co-ordinate Alumni affairs, to be the link between the University and the outside world, and to undertake fundraising activities to support the University's Mission. Through the Office, Alumni Chapters have been established in Canada, United States of America and the United Kingdom. This has ensured a strong Alumni presence in the affairs of the University.

In furtherance of its internationalization agenda, the University reviewed and re- focused its collaboration and linkages with institutions of higher learning and industry at both local and international levels for teaching, research and capacity building for students and staff. This underscores the importance the University attaches to partnerships.

The Higher Education (HE) landscape has undergone tremendous changes in recent years. The changes within the past decade involve governance, funding, the number and type of students, and type of academic programme. Key among the issues driving the changes in the way Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operate is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs and the African Union's Agenda 2063 impose obligations on HEIs to pursue innovative projects and programmes that support the sustainable growth of HEIs. The Strategic Plan of an HEI should drive such an agenda.

It is said that the HE enrolment rate globally has doubled in the last 20 years, rising from 19% to 38% between 2000 and 2018. Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a similar increase in enrolment. However, expansion in the number of HEIs is insufficient to match the demand created by a growing young population and shifts in employment options and requirements. In addition, the student population is also getting more diverse; thus, demanding flexible education models and underrepresented student support services. The high cost of HE in most countries, coupled with the time requirements of traditional degree programmes has resulted in the drive for HEls to invest in strategies to attract adult learners and serve non- traditional students, such as part-time, distance and online learners. HEIs offer such alternative education delivery models to meet the academic goals of students. The need to target international students and increase their enrolment and attract high- calibre staff requires innovative marketing strategies by HEIs.

Another factor that has influenced changes in HEI is the skills gap which has widened in the past two decades. Graduates from these institutions are expected to have marketable skills to meet the needs of the employment landscape with the tightening career demands. There is also a change in student demographics, cultural environment, and entrepreneurial norms. Thus, HEIs are expected to emphasise workplace skills through experiential learning opportunities and impact 21 Century skills. This has contributed to the drive towards increasing Universities of Applied Sciences, which are expected to focus on practical workplace skills rather than traditional Universities. There is also an increasing demand to incorporate virtual reality into pedagogical approaches to promote increased engagement and motivation, exploratory and contextualised learning, and experiential learning opportunities that may otherwise be inaccessible.

While delivering on the mandate of teaching and training students, there has been an increase in the need for HEIs to improve their research output and consultancy to impact society. The public value paradigm requires HEls to serve society in the best possible way. Thus, the concept of research-intensive Universities has been adopted by many HEls globally. This is also driven by international pressure and competition, as seen in rankings. This is again linked to financial management as many institutions work to attract large research grants with the added goal of raising funding for the running of institutions.

Public Universities globally have had to be innovative to meet the funding gap, which has widened in most counties. In places where funding has been mainly through Students' fees, further sources of funding have become necessary; thus, also giving birth to the concept of Entrepreneurial Universities. There is a growing need for alternate funding options other than state funding through research and innovation opportunities, unique external partnerships, and the development of innovative academic programmes. In addition, innovative fund-raising campaigns through individuals and alumni networks and associations have been intensified.

Since 2020, COVID-19 pandemic has been transforming the HE landscape. Most Universities report a significant effect of COVID-19 on inbound students and staff mobility and, therefore, have seen the need to develop and implement a response plan to the outbreak. There is evidence of robust and multi-faceted communication efforts being undertaken by institutions across the globe and a strong desire for better guidance at the national level as universities work to navigate the many dimensions of this situation. Universities are also seeking access to good practices modelled by other HEIs. Crisis response, longer-term planning in the face of Uncertainty, partnership management, technology solutions, and more effective communication processes with relevant authorities are among the key focal points for the future.

The key issues driving change in the HE landscape globally include the demand for diversity (profiling, programme variety), internationalisation, accountability, performance (accreditation, rankings, performance agreements), competition (for students, staff, managers), cooperation (networks with industry), and application of ICT (educational innovation, embracing artificial intelligence for learning) as these HEls work to contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

OVERVIEW OF TERTIARY EDUCATION IN GHANA

The role of tertiary education in economic development cannot be over-emphasised. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (as cited in Bawakyillenuo et al, 2013) gave four means by which tertiary education contributes to socio-economic development: the formation of human capital (primarily through teaching); building of knowledge bases (primarily through research and knowledge development); dissemination and use of knowledge (through interaction with knowledge users); and the maintenance of knowledge (through inter-generational storage and transmission of knowledge). These actions are imperative in achieving the United Nations' Agenda 2030, the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. Article 17 of the Charter advocates that every individual shall have the right to education.

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana emphasises the need to make higher education accessible to all based on capacity by every appropriate means and, in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education. It further states that the State shall, subject to the availability of resources, provide equal access to equivalent university education, emphasising science and technology (Ghana Constitution, 1992, Article 25, 1C). The tertiary education sector in Ghana, as with the general education sector, comprises both public and private institutions.

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