The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson led a nine member team to meet with Management of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), in Accra on talks of forging partnership between the two institutions.
It formed part of the University’s strategic efforts of creating, building and sustaining relationships with industries and institutions that share similar vision with that of the University.
Prof. Nyarko-Samson said,
considering the kind of work the Commission is involved in, it is worth initiating partnerships between the two institutions.
Some of the collaborations the UESD is seeking will be in the area of curriculum review, internship and practical lessons for students, transfer of expertise and research collaborations and data sharing.
The Vice-Chancellor also touched on the University’s Community Engagement projects and models under the Community Engagement Unit, which seeks to engage the Somanya township and its environs with alternative livelihood sources.
The Deans of the Schools of Sustainable Development, SSD and School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, SNES, briefly introduced programmes being run in their Schools. Prof. Anthony Amoah said the SSD is running degree programmes in Energy and Resource Economics, Energy Sustainability, Environmental Economics, Sustainable Development, Water Resources and Aquaculture Resource & Management.
He revealed that the School is currently working around the clock to introduce more programmes.
Prof. Edward Wiafe Debrah, speaking on behalf of the SNES, explained that the School’s main focus is hinged on two broad aspects of the environment; Pollution and Environmental Resource Degradation.
It is on this ground that programmes like Environment and Public Health, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Geography & Earth Science, Nature Conservation & Management, Environmental Monitoring & Management, Physics, Chemistry and Biology have been introduced to help resolve important environmental issues.
He told their host, that the School is involved in waste segregation projects which are expected to be run on a large scale within the Somanya Township in due course as part of the University’s Community Engagement interventions.
The Director General of GAEC, Prof. Benjamin J.B. Nyarko, in response, stated that as the name depicts, the Commission is mainly involved in the application of nuclear techniques in the various fields of study and production.
He explained that the institution has been subdivided into seven (7) institutes which include National Nuclear Research, Radiation Protection, Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture, Ghana Space Science and Technology, Radiological and Molecular Sciences Research, the Nuclear Power Research and the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences.
He said, considering the broad nature of UESD’s mandate, he is confident that both GAEC and UESD can form very strong partnerships in diverse areas since all the activities of GAEC Institutes relate to the environment.
He also revealed that the institution is blessed with facilities and test equipment for research, so teaming up with UESD will serve as a pool of facilities for both institutions to enhance high and quality research.
Prof. Nyarko welcomed a partnership between the two institutions and called for a constant communication between the Deans of the Schools and members of GAEC.
He proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement which will stipulate a clear road map for partnership between the two institutions.
The Registrar of UESD, Mrs Mary Abena Agyepong, expressed her gratitude to the GAEC for its willingness to partner with the University for the benefit of both institutions.
Other members of the UESD delegation were: Mr. Baffour Awuah Kwabi (Director of Finance), Dr. Isaac Abbam (Director of Physical Planning and Estate Management), Mr. Daniel Ofori-Mintah (Head of Community Engagement and Innovations Unit and the University Relations Unit representative.
The Commission members were represented by Prof. Shiloh Osae (Deputy Director-General), Prof. Dickson Adomako (Director of Ghana Space Station Technology Institute) and Prof. Mary Boadu (Director-RAMSRI).