The new Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, has indicated his commitment to lead the process of transforming the University into a World Class Entrepreneurial University with a global competitive edge.
To achieve this, Prof. Boampong said “My vision is to reposition UCC as the global hub of creative thinkers, offering demand-driven programmes, integrated with practical entrepreneurial courses and actively translating the products of its innovative research, for sustainable development.”
The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that his vision would be realised by ensuring that “the University creates a niche by providing quality, equitable and inclusive education that empowers the graduates to be independent, lifelong learners and responsible citizens, who have passion for job creation while contributing to public service”.
Prof. Boampong made these statements during his investiture as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University. At the same function, Mr. Jeff Teye Emmanuel Onyame was inducted as the new Registrar.
Strategies
Outlining the strategies to achieve his vision, the new Vice-Chancellor said he would provide exemplary academic leadership and operate an all-inclusive governance system by focusing on increasing students’ intake and ensuring their success and welfare as well as prioritising academic distinctiveness. In addition, he noted that his administration would generate revenue and maintain fiscal discipline; enhance visibility and promote internationalization; and also create an organisational culture and improve efficiency and effectiveness of the governance system.
The Vice-Chancellor said under his leadership, the University would work to produce ethically responsible graduates with employable and entrepreneurial skills. “This requires a thorough audit of all academic programmes, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, to promote harmonization, in order to reduce duplication of courses at various departments” He stressed that “New demand-driven programmes will, therefore, be introduced and a stimulus fund for STEM and Entrepreneurship education created”.
Concept of "Entrepreneurial University"
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the concept of “Entrepreneurial University” was the emerging trend stressing that “What makes this emerging concept significant and appealing to me, particularly within these uncertain times, is how the COVID-19 pandemic has called to question existing paradigms, and, is attempting to redirect our focus to novel ways of doing things”.
Prof. Boampong indicated that though he was a scientist, he had come to the realisation that the concept of the Entrepreneurial University was the catalyst for development of the University. “My primary calling and career trajectory has been that of a scientist but, having interacted widely with both industry and the academy throughout my professional life, I come into this academic conversation with an intimate connection and passion for innovation that the concept of Entrepreneurial Universities evokes” he explained.
Coming from the background as an entrepreneur, Prof. Boampong explained that “My understanding of a world class entrepreneurial university is one that seeks to work out a substantial shift in organizational character so as to arrive at a more promising posture for the future”. In his opinion, an Entrepreneurial University seeks to become “stand-up” university that is a significant actor in its own terms.
UCC Design Thinking and Business Development Centre
One of the ways Prof. Boampong said he would accomplish his vision was to upgrade the School of Business Incubation Centre and resource it into a university-wide Entrepreneurial Centre to be called UCC Design Thinking and Business Development Centre. “This Centre will collaborate with the Ministry for Business Development, Industry, financial institutions and UCC Enterprise Limited, to reinforce practical entrepreneurship and nurture the entrepreneurial talents of students, and assist them to create and manage their businesses, and/or possibly partner the University to run joint ventures,” he explained.
To further strengthen practice-oriented teaching and learning activities, Prof. Boampong said the Centre for Teaching Support, would be restructured into Teaching and Learning Support Centre which would include an Instructional Design Unit for the organisation of workshops for lecturers and other tutors in UCC affiliated institutions. He indicated that the Centre would run Professional Education programmes for teachers at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
Prof. Boampong also said he would resource existing laboratories and linked them to form integrated laboratories to strengthen research. “Efforts will also be made, to create General Physical Laboratories where expensive equipment will be kept, for common use” he pledged. He said DRIC would be tasked to collaborate with UCC Design Thinking and Business Development Centre to guarantee that research outputs are translated and developed further to create businesses.
Partnership with Industry
Furthermore, to make the University relevant to changing trends and also support various government policies, Prof. Boampong stated that existing partnerships with industry would be expanded by co-opting experts from industry, to be part of the deliberations of Departments, Faculties and Colleges, for their expert advice and guidance.
The Vice-Chancellor said the proposed University-wide Entrepreneurial Centre would work in collaboration with identifiable units to create viable businesses where UCC has competitive advantage.
He said his administration would encourage Workers’ Unions and other entities to partner the University to create new businesses, and part of the profits, would be used to enhance the welfare of the workers. “Similarly, financial disciplinary procedures to procure goods and services will be followed,” he added.
Other areas the new Vice-Chancellor mentioned would receive attention under his leadership were physical and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, research, university-community/stakeholders relations, enhancing visibility and internationalisation of the University.
Present at the function were the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II; Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah; Central Regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Duncan, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Tsutomu Himeno. The rest are the Chairman of National Accreditation Board, Prof. Kofi Awusabo-Asare; Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh; Heads of other public and private tertiary institutions; former Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of UCC, members of UCC Council; Provosts, Deans, Directors, clergy, and some members of Convocation.
The University of Cape Coast has held an investiture for Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong and Mr. Jeff Teye Emmanuel Onyame as Vice-Chancellor and Registrar respectively.
Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong
Prof. Boampong is assuming the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University with rich experience as an academic as well as good track record as in university administration.
The new Vice-Chancellor is a Pharmacist and Biomedical Scientist and the immediate past Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast. He is a fellow of the Institute of Medical Education and Research, India and a CV Raman Scholar
Prof. Boampong is a member of many international and local professional associations and has consulted widely on community pharmacy practice. He is also a member of the Academic Board of the Ghana College of Pharmacists.
As an astute academic, Prof. Boampong has taught at the University of Cape Coast for several years and published extensively in high reputable journals. He has taught Parasitology and supervised undergraduate and postgraduate (M.Phil and PhD) students with diverse backgrounds. His contribution towards the training of postgraduate students, especially PhD candidates has been recognized by the University and he was awarded best PhD thesis principal supervisor and co-supervisor for graduating students from the College of Health and Allied Sciences and College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, respectively, during the 2016/2017 academic year. He has also mentored many lecturers and has served as an external examiner to other universities in Ghana.
In terms of his leadership experience, Prof. Boampong has risen through the ranks and has been at the forefront, providing academic leadership in relevant sections of the University. He has occupied several leadership positions from Head of Department, Dean, and Provost.
The new Vice-Chancellor is a successful entrepreneur with a vision “To re-position UCC as the global hub of creative thinkers, offering demand-driven programmes integrated with practical entrepreneurial courses and actively translating the products of its innovative research for sustainable development”.
Mr. Jeff Teye Emmanuel Onyame
The new Registrar, Mr. Onyame is a professional administrator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Management Consultants (CIAMC) of Ghana; a Member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE); and an Affiliate of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana. He is also a Member of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and has worked as a professional university administrator at the University of Cape Coast for more than 28 years.
Mr. Onyame is results-oriented, hardworking, committed to duty, pragmatic, and an excellent team player with strengths in the areas of management and supervision. He successfully led and managed change in the various positions he has held at the University of Cape Coast. He has mentored a number of junior colleagues in the Registrar’s Department some of whom have risen to the rank of Senior Assistant Registrar. He is bilingual and participated in many discussions involving the University in collaborations with the French Embassy and other Francophone institutions.
Explore Revenue-Generating Opportunities
The Chancellor of the University, Sir (Dr.) Sam Esson Jonah, urged the new leadership of the University to explore to the fullest all revenue-generating opportunities adding that “We must be entrepreneurial”. He called on them to aggressively seek collaborations with the private sector and industry and maintain the existing partnerships.
Sir Jonah reminded the new leaders that they were assuming duty at a time when the world was facing the COVID-19 pandemic which had badly affected the progress of every human endeavour including educational institutions. “The sad reality is that this University just like all others is not insulated from this unknown and indeterminable wave of change, “he posited.
Academics
Touching on academics, the Chancellor intimated that most universities across the globe were turning to online learning. “Given the protocols being encouraged to stop the spread of the pandemic, online teaching and learning will now become the new normal that all tertiary institutions must adopt in order to stay competitive” he indicated. He challenged the University to develop checks and balances and maintain a robust system to ensure that teaching, learning, and testing are conducted devoid of cheating and other malpractices.
The immediate Past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, assured Prof. Boampong that he was ready to offer him support to succeed in his new leadership role.
Present at the function were the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II; Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah; Central Regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Duncan, Chairman of National Accreditation Board, Prof. Kofi Awusabo-Asare; Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh; Heads of other public and private tertiary institutions; former Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of UCC, members of UCC Council; Provosts, Deans, Directors and some members of Convocation.
The University of Cape Coast through the School of Agriculture has partnered Agri-Impact to embark on a Greenhouse Project to cultivate vegetables for the University Community and the general public.
The project is being funded by the Ghana Export-Import Bank at a cost of $ 250,000 with10 greenhouses at the A. G. Carson Technology Area at the North Campus. The project has engaged the services of 20 youth including past students of the University who are cultivating cucumber, sweet pepper, and tomatoes in the greenhouses.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah who witnessed the first harvesting of vegetables at the Greenhouses, noted that the project was the University’s contribution to the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs programme. He commended the School of Agriculture for partnering Agri-Impact to initiate the project adding that “This is a great feat for the School of Agriculture and it is my expectation that you will take good care of the structure so that we can own and expand this project”.
Prof. Ampiah urged the University Community to patronise produce from the farms so that the project could be expanded to enable the general public to also benefit from the hygienic vegetables from the greenhouses. He advised the School of Agriculture to take good care of the greenhouses in order to sustain the project.
The Acting Farm Manager, Dr. Ebenezer Gyamera, explained that the project was a test case for UCC to prove that it could successfully make good use of the greenhouses to produce and sell hygienic vegetables to raise revenue. “We plan to make at least a net profit of GH ¢500, 000 each year,” he predicted.
He noted that Agri-Impact initially did not want to include public institutions however, the University was able to convince the organisation to select UCC as a beneficiary of the project “We have even led the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to also undertake the project” he indicated.
Dr. Gyamera thanked the Vice-Chancellor for showing interest in the project and approving the payment of UCC’s contribution towards the project.
In a related development, the Vice-Chancellor has handed over modern equipment for farming to the School of Agriculture. They are Mechanical Planter, Power Tiller, and other irrigation equipment. The equipment worth GH ¢ 2 million which was sponsored by the College of Distance Education is to support the University Farm to boost mechanical farming.
The Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. Elvis Asare Bediako who received the items thanked the Vice-Chancellor for approving the deal to purchase the equipment.
The University of Cape Coast has conferred degrees on 20 pioneer students of the CSIR College of Science and Technology (CCST), at the College’s maiden congregation and ceremony in Fumesua in the Ashanti Region.
The students, graduated with degrees in the areas of Master of Philosophy and Science (MPhil/MSc) in Climate Change and Integrated Natural Resources Management, MPhil Plant Breeding and Biotechnology.
Others were MPhil Soil Health and Environmental Resources Management, MPhil Food Science and Technology.
The programme coincided with the investiture of Prof. Mark Appiah as CCST President.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, who was present at the function, noted that the University was proud to be offering mentoring services to CCST. He indicated that the University was committed to the growth and development of its affiliate institutions and, therefore, would provide CCST with the needed support to become a recognised academic institution of excellence. “CCST as our affiliate will be provided with the needed support to become one of the best tertiary institutions in the country and beyond," he added.
In his address, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, lauded the College for its vision to churning out practically-oriented graduates.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng noted that the poverty gap between the developed and under-developed countries was a technology gap. He explained that the gap was a result of the technology capabilities of the countries which were their ability to access, understand, and utilize science and technology for the solution of their socio-economic problems.
The Minister posited that the economy of the world was knowledge-based as well as science and technology-driven adding, “clean, affordable and safe energy, agriculture, medicine and health, clean air and water, transportation and sanitation management, utilisation and conservation of natural resources, are all propelled by science and technology.”
According to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng the country’s development was dependent on the ability to understand, interpret, select, adapt, use, transmit, diffuse, produce and commercialise scientific and technological knowledge in ways appropriate to the culture, aspirations, and level of development.
The Minister advised the graduands to go out and be different from others by creating jobs and not to look for jobs considering their knowledge and experience in their respective areas of study and work.
Management of the College honoured Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, for his contribution to the success story of the College
The University of Cape Coast has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Police Service to train personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Forensic Investigation.
With the signing of the MoU, the University through the Department of Forensic Sciences will mentor the CID Detective Training Academy (DTA) in Accra to run programmes at various academic levels including certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate.
Unique Collaboration
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, said the collaboration with the Police Service was a unique one, since it offered the University the opportunity to contribute towards fighting crime and also ensuring peace and security in the country. Prof. Ampiah noted that the University was gradually extending its tentacles to cover all the security agencies in the country. “We have already entered into a similar collaboration with the Ghana National Fire Service and we want to assure you that UCC will equip your personnel to effectively carry out their duties,” he pledged.
The Vice-Chancellor commended the Police Administration for selecting UCC for the collaboration and congratulated them for including an academic component to the training of its personnel. He said through the affiliation, UCC faculty would share their expertise and experiences with tutors to provide quality professional and academic training to personnel of the CID in particular. This, he said would be extended to other personnel of the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies with investigative arm.
Benefits
Touching on some of the benefits of the affiliation to the Ghana Police Service, Prof. Ampiah indicated that the University had a strong collaboration with Gujarat Forensic Sciences University (GFSU) in India, one of the best institutions in Forensic Sciences in the world from which the service can benefit. “Gujarat has offered scholarships to some of our staff and students and they have even promised to establish a training centre at UCC, so the Ghana Police Service can also benefit from their expertise,” he announced.
Academic Training
On his part, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh, who signed the MoU on behalf of Ghana Police Service, noted that DTA trained sister security agencies and other state organisations on criminal and forensic investigation. He was hopeful that the affiliation would provide top-notch academic training to personnel in addition to the professional skills and expertise they would acquire from the training. “We look forward to churning out highly competent investigators to complement the services of the police through this collaboration,” he added.
Mr. Oppong-Boanuh said the affiliation would serve as a model to rope in other regional and national training schools of the Service, namely “the Ghana Police Academy which trains new recruits and junior officers and the Command and Staff Training School for senior officers”.
The Inspector General of Police thanked the University for accepting to mentor them adding that “I am hopeful that this will be a win-win partnership to both institutions”. He indicated that UCC lecturers were very familiar with the police environment already and it was his expectation that personnel from the service would receive the best of training to enable them to become confident when conducting investigations.
Present were some Management members of the University and the Ghana Police Service
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah has commissioned the School of Business Building and a state-of-the-art Data Centre at the North campus.
Speaking at the commissioning of the School of Business Building, the Vice-Chancellor commended the School for making judicious use of its Internally Generated Fund (IGF) to put up their own office complex. He encouraged other departments in the University to emulate the example of the School.
Data Centre
In his comments at the opening of the Data Centre, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the new Network Operating Centre (NOC) had been furnished to deliver quality internet services to the University Community. “The old NOC was in bad shape and could not meet the expectations of the University so we relocated it to this place and augmented the equipment, especially the servers to meet the needs of the University,” he explained.
Prof. Ampiah noted that the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) control room was also established to enhance security and track the activities of criminals on campus. He disclosed that the University had purchased 300 pieces of high-resolution CCTV cameras and installed at vantage places on the entire campus. Prof. Ampiah indicated that the Centre served as the hub for monitoring of every nook and cranny of the University. “From here, the security officers will monitor every activity going on at all times,” he noted.
New Servers and Network Equipment
The Consultant of the Data Centre Project, Mr. Abraham Brew Sam, explained that new servers and network equipment so that had been installed at the Centre to provide better internet services to the University Community. He indicated that with the new system the staff at the Centre could monitor the flow of traffic on the University’s network and activities of intruders. “In this sense, we are protecting data and people who can attack the University’s system,” he stated.
Mr. Sam noted that through the new system, an IP based CCTV System had been developed to monitor every part of campus. He said they were working hand-in-hand with the Security Section to train their officers to manage the CCTV monitoring room.
Mr. Sam indicated that a fire suppression system had been fixed at the centre to automatically prevent fire from destroying the equipment. He said the next phase of the project was to improve the faculty networks and to make sure that they were in good shape so that they can easily integrate it into the system.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah has launched the second research report of the University spanning 2017-2019 at a ceremony on campus .
The research report touches on the multidisciplinary and solutions-driven research that has been undertaken by researchers in the University working in teams. The report also highlights the growing importance of networks and multi-stakeholder partnerships in driving research impact.
UCCROME/UCCSCHOLAR
The Vice-Chancellor also launched the UCC Research Output Monitor and Evaluator (UCCROME/UCCSCHOLAR) which is the first in West Africa and among the first on the continent. Through UCCROME/UCCSCHOLAR web application departments, faculties, schools can track their research endeavours to identify gaps and ways through which these could be addressed. It also serves as a diagnostic tool to guide all faculty on how they are faring using the key performance indicators embedded in this web application.
Solving Challenges
Speaking at the launch, the Vice-Chancellor said he was proud that at a time of rapid social and technological changes, UCC faculty, researchers and innovators were tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges and intriguing questions. He noted that the research partnerships profiled in the publication highlighted the University’s talent garnering recognition at home and abroad. “While their subject matter is wide-ranging - from fingerprinting rice developing system to manage food fraud through performing sustainability via cultures and development in West Africa, to studying the anti-malarial property of xylopic acid, to shedding new light on real-world socio-political challenges through literature - they have all played an important role in advancing our collective knowledge and connecting UCC with the world” he stated.
Contribution of UCC Researchers
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the report indicated that UCC researchers and scholars were contributing immensely to research in four impact areas. He outlined the four areas as “knowledge expansion and innovation, human capital development, economic development and societal wellbeing and quality of life. However, he said it was obvious that the University’s fingerprint in terms of funded research collaboration with colleagues in neighbouring countries and West Africa, in general, was negligible even though there were similarities in societal circumstances and challenges.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the launch of the research report was a demonstration of his unflinching and longstanding vision and commitment to making the University’s research work locally and internationally visible. “I am elated to say that it is during my tenure as Vice-Chancellor, that the first and second research reports were crafted and launched,” he stressed.
The Vice-Chancellor commended DRIC for championing his vision of improving research in the University through the launch of the UCCROME/UCCSCHOLAR. He announced that for the first time, UCC had been listed in the top 100 universities in Africa.
Scholarly Partnerships
The Director of DRIC, Prof. Frederick Ato Armah, noted that UCC had ongoing scholarly partnerships with institutions across the globe in four broad areas. He said the areas for the partnerships were capacity building, research, innovation and consultancy services. However, he pointed out that UCC’s global partnership was mainly North-South collaboration, adding that “South-South research partnerships are virtually non-existent in UCC’s constellation of collaborations”. He further indicated that there was no funded research partnership with a single institution in South America.
Prof. Armah said efforts should be made to secure South-South research collaborations with African countries especially, between Ghana and its neighbouring countries thus Togo, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. “The stark reality is exacerbated by the fact that UCC has relatively very few partners in Africa,” he disclosed.
While commending the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Armah said the University’s achievement in the area of the two innovations could be attributed to the good leadership of Prof. Ampiah.
The Director of DRIC also made a live demonstration of how the UCCROME/UCCSCHOLAR works.