A book that chronicles the background, life journey and leadership of Prof. Domwini Dabire Kuupole, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University has been launched on campus.

The 131-page book titled “Managing the Contemporary Ghanaian University: Reflections of a former Vice-Chancellor” provides a historical background of the University, touches on the person and profile of Prof. Kuupole, career journey through UCC and his achievements and challenges he encountered during his term as Vice-Chancellor. It also spells out some lessons learnt and the way forward.

Managing a University is Complex

The guest speaker for the launch, Prof. Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe, noted that the modern-day university has not only become large but complex in structure and organisation.  He indicated that managing a modern university anywhere in the world was not a joke especially in Africa where funding was a major problem. In the face of these complexities, he noted that a Vice-Chancellor must show leadership to manage the university to fulfill its mandate. “The Vice-Chancellor must, therefore, be versatile as much as possible to keep the ship afloat to move it forward all the time.”

Prof. Tagoe who is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, posited that “Each Vice-Chancellor brings to office certain unique attitudes, knowledge and leadership styles".  He, therefore, recommended that the story of each Vice-Chancellor must be told stressing that “each one must be told separately” .

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana commended the authors for coming out with the book which he described as timely. “There is a lot which the current and future generation of University leaders can learn from Prof. Kuupole’s experiences, achievements, ideas, and challenges as Vice-Chancellor,” he urged.  He also commended Prof. Kuupole for allowing his life story to be chronicled as a University leader for others to learn valuable lessons from him. “I believe your effort will be an encouragement to former Vice-Chancellors who are yet to write their own books,” he noted.

Achievements of Prof. Kuupole as Vice-Chancellor

The Reviewer of the book, Dr. Paul Effah, commended Prof. Kuupole for developing a comprehensive research plan for UCC and creating the Directorate of Research, Innovation, and Consultancy as well as the introduction of an award scheme aimed at improving research in the University. He also praised him for the introduction of the Collegiate system and embarking on various infrastructural development and other Income Generating Funds (IGF) projects during his term as Vice-Chancellor.

Dr. Effah who is the President of Radford University College recommended to the authors to adequately address human resource development especially on Continuous Professional Development that took place under Prof. Kuupole’s administration in subsequent editions of the book.

Background of the Book

Making a remark, Prof. Kuupole said the concept to write the book was mooted by Mr. Moses Maclean Abnory when he was about exiting office as Vice-Chancellor in 2016. According to him, the book was to serve as a source of reference and motivation for people in the higher education enterprises who might one day want to learn something about different shades of leadership and management challenges and successes through the lenses of someone who has held different leadership positions in a Ghanaian University. He added that it had the potential of inspiring future university leaders. “Up and coming leaders can take inspiration from the leadership strategies that could be adopted or adapted to improve the systems in which they work,” he said.

Appreciation to Authors

Prof. Kuupole thanked the team of authors led by Mr. Abnory for digging deep into his life story to his amazement. He remarked “I thought I knew myself well but reading through pages of the book, the lenses with which colleagues subordinates friends and indeed my family viewed me as a person and also my leadership style, I realised that I never precisely know who I was nor my leadership styles. I must admit that I have learnt much more about myself from reading this book than I ever thought possible”.

Launching of Book

The President of the Presbyterian University College of Ghana, Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng, who officially launched the book, said the book would serve as a guide to current leadership of Universities in the country. Prof. Obeng who is a former Vice-Chancellor of UCC noted that the current scene of the tertiary educational landscape was very cumbersome and therefore, the lessons and experiences that had been shared in the book could help address some challenges in the system. “When I was Vice-Chancellor, there were only five Universities but now they are about 10 and everybody is struggling to understand the system,” he averred.

 The first 10 copies were auctioned for GH ¢2, 000.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, has announced that the University has instituted measures to reduce the level of plagiarism in postgraduate research work.

In view of this, he noted that the Academic Board has approved a Plagiarism Policy to be implemented in the 2019/2020 academic year.

Prof. Ampiah made the announcement at the 17^th Session of the 51^st Congregation held for graduates of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).

In addition to this, the Vice-Chancellor indicated that the University has purchased the “Turnitin software” to help reduce the level of plagiarism and increase the potency and originality of research output.  “Currently, staff and postgraduate students are being trained in the use of the ‘Turnitin software’, he added.

Statistics of Graduating Students

On the statistics for the congregation, Prof. Ampiah said a total of 1, 183 graduates comprising 61 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), 186 Master of Philosophy (M.Phil), 10 Master of Commerce (M.Com), 9 Master of Nursing(MN), 633 Master of Business Administration (MBA), 160 Executive Master of Business Administration(EMBA), 4 Master of Education (M.Ed), 6 Master of Science (M.Sc), 51 Master of Arts(MA), 54 Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PgDE) and 9 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PgCE). He noted that out of this number, 495 students received their training through Distance from the College of Distance Education.

The Vice-Chancellor said Management of the University had not relented on its effort to improve on teaching and learning facilities on campus. He indicated that Graduate Programme Coordinators have been appointed in the Colleges, Faculties and Schools to facilitate postgraduate programmes. He mentioned that seminars on e-learning for postgraduate students were mounted on a consistent basis and had been made user-friendly. “At least once in each academic year, special seminars aimed at improving graduate studies and ensuring completion of programmes on schedule are organised for graduate students where Senior Faculty members take them through the essentials of graduate research work” he reported.

Research Grants

Speaking on Research Grants, Prof. Ampiah said the Samuel and Emelia Brew-Butler GRASAG-UCC fund was established in response to increasing demand by students and SGS for the production of high-quality graduate research and early completion of graduate degree programmes. “The Fund provides financial support to alleviate the financial burden students go through in undertaking their research projects and to produce high-quality research within approved programme duration” he explained.  He said 40 students made up of 33 MPhil and 7 PhD students received a total of GH ¢120, 000 as grants to support their data collection.

Future of Postgraduate Studies

On the future of postgraduate studies in the University, the Vice-Chancellor said SGS would increase the enrolment of students into the various postgraduate programmes and also make delivery of courses more flexible. “SGS will continue to bridge the gender gap by rolling out more flexible, career-oriented programmes through our various modes of delivery to make it possible for all who are willing to enrol” he added. He assured that the University library facilities especially, e-library would be expanded for students on campus and off campus. “Contracts will soon be awarded for a state-of-the-art Graduate Resource Centre and Research Commons and we envisage that this will boost graduate studies. We look up to these, alongside the refurbishment of the Main Library building for the next academic year,” he announced. Prof. Ampiah further noted that the University shall continue to explore both local and international collaboration to boost graduate education delivery.

Postgraduate Researchers Are Major Drivers of Innovation and Growth

The Chancellor, Sir, (Dr) Sam Esson Jonah, observed that the advanced knowledge and skills of postgraduates and postgraduate researchers, in particular, were major drivers of innovation and growth. “Products of postgraduate education are, therefore, needed to staff Research and Development Institutions, to drive scientific innovations, as well as high technology manufacturing firms,” he observed.  According to him such institutions and firms were the main vehicles through which the results of the research were infused into the local economy, transforming the technical bases of agricultural and manufacturing production.  “Postgraduate programmes are essential for training university professors and thus improving the quality of tertiary education, today and for future generations” he stressed.

SGS Producing More Graduates

The Chancellor commended SGS for providing strategic leadership and administrative structures within a diverse group of students and faculty in the graduate field.  “The School of Graduate Studies continues to enhance the intellectual life of the University by enabling graduate and professional students to undertake scholarly study and advanced research and to prepare for professional work” he noted.

Sir Jonah reminded the graduands that more innovative ways of doing business and spectacular technologies were emerging and therefore, advised them to be among the 21^st Century think thanks who engineer such progress. “The University has empowered you with generic and discipline-specific research, knowledge and skills, employment-related skills and competencies. We will be looking forward to receiving feedback from your communities and the nation as a whole on how you have impacted society with these resources” he implored.

The Chancellor urged the graduates to consider investing in the agriculture sector which according to him has great potentials.