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| Prof. Haruna Yakubu |
Three
private tertiary institutions in Ghana have successfully established
affiliation with the University for Development Studies (UDS) to enable the
latter guide them to run quality academic programmes.
The institutions are the Withrow University
College in Agona in the Ashanti Region and the Technical University College of
Tamale and Health Assistants Training School at Yendi in the Northern Region.
A report dubbed “Vice Chancellor’s Report” sighted by Savannahnews, said
the affiliation was granted to all three institutions following the fulfilment of
certain conditions and signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between
the institutions and UDS.
According to the report, the signing of the
MoU with the institutions brings the total number of affiliated institutions with
UDS to seven. They include Ghana Christian University College (GCU), Accra,
Premier Nurses’ Training College (PNTC), Kumasi, International Centre for
Management Studies (ICMS), Tamale, and New Life College (NLC), Tamale.
The report indicated that, “the
Administrative and Technical Committees of the Directorate of Academic Quality
Assurance (DAQA)” also “assessed the facilities of Neumann College, Kumasi and
the University College for Community and Organisational Development, Sunyani as
part of the processes to determine their qualification for affiliation”.
Other institutions that applied for
affiliation but yet to be assessed and granted affiliation are: Golden Sunbeam
International College of Science and Technology, Accra, University College of
Agriculture and Environmental Studies, Accra, Sikkim Manipal University, Accra,
KAAF University College, Accra, High Skies College, Tema, and DHI College of
Health and Education, Kumasi.
“......you must be registered as a tertiary
institution, the location of your school is also important, have learning
materials, physical infrastructure including adequate lecture halls,
recognition from regulatory bodies such NABPTEX and NCTE, etc are requirements an
institution need to meet before they’re granted affiliation” Registrar of the UDS
Dr. A.B.T Zakaria told Savannahnews in an interview.
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| UDS Central Administration |
On why a lot of institutions are seeking
affiliation with the UDS, Dr. Zakaria said it is because most of the
institutions are running courses and programmes similar to what the UDS is
running such as nursing, management and integrated development studies.“....perhaps
they think UDS has the competence to offer them technical assistance to produce
quality graduates, hence their interest in affiliating with the UDS”, he noted.
Established in May 1992 by the Government
of Ghana, the UDS exist to blend the academic world with that of the community
in order to provide constructive interaction between the two for the total
development of Northern Ghana, in particular, and the country as a whole.
It began academic work in September 1993
with the admission of thirty-nine (39) students into the Faculty of
Agriculture, (FOA), Nyankpala campus. The Faculty of Integrated Development
Studies, (FIDS), Faculty of Planning and Land Management (FPLM) and Faculty of
Education (FOE), Wa, School of Business, Wa, School of Medicine and Health
Sciences (SMHS), Tamale, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources (FRNR),
Nyankpala, Faculty of Applied Sciences (FAS), Faculty of Mathematical Sciences
(FMS), Navrongo and the Graduate School now in Tamale were phased in from 1994
to date.
UDS is unique compared to other
public universities considering its location and multi campuses which are
spread out in rural Northern Ghana where the incidence and depth of poverty is
high.
The University was borne out of the new
thinking in higher education which emphasizes the need for universities to play
a more active role in addressing problems of the society, particularly in the
rural areas. This is reflected in its methodology of teaching, research and
outreach services. The specific emphasis on practically-oriented research and
field-based training is aimed at contributing towards poverty reduction in
order to accelerate national development.
The UDS has four (4) campuses, seven
(7) Faculties, a Business School, one Medical School, one Graduate School and
three (3) centres. Several programs are run at these places.
The UDS also runs a
community-technical interface programme. This is a combination of the academic
and community-based field practical work known as the Third Trimester Field
Practical Programme (TTFPP).
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