The University of Environment and Sustainable Development, (UESD) is expected to receive its second batch of students for the next academic year in January, 2022. As such, admissions are on-going and eligible candidates including those awaiting results are encouraged to apply.
The Registrar of the University, Mrs Mary Abena Agyepong made this known when she led a team of Lecturers to meet with Management of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, ISSER of the University of Ghana, Legon in Accra to establish a partnership with the UESD. Mrs. Agyepong also mentioned that the pioneer students of the University have successfully completed their first year and are currently on vacation.
The Registrar told the meeting that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, GTEC had approved five more programmes of the UESD, bringing the total number to fifteen (15). She encouraged prospective applicants to visit the University’s website for details. The new programmes are: BSc. Aquaculture Management, BSc. Water Resources Management and BSc. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, BSc. Energy Sustainability and BSc. Environmental Economics, BSc. Environmental Management and BSc. Nature Conservation Management.
Mrs. Agyepong revealed that the UESD is to introduce its third School, the School of Built Environment for the 2022/23 academic year and also establish three research centres soon.
Touching on other areas, the Registrar added that as part of its strategy to cause a positive change in the livelihoods of Somanya and its environs, it has set up the Community Engagement, Projects and Innovations Unit, (CEPIU) whose core mandate is to identify projects and programmes which have the potential of improving the livelihood and living conditions of the people.
In his contribution, the acting Dean of the School of Sustainable Development of the UESD, Prof. Anthony Amoah indicated that in a bid to encourage more research publications by Lecturers of the University, faculty has instituted two flagship programmes: the ‘seminar series’ and the virtual roundtable (Webinar).
He explained that the seminar series are normally organised by Lecturers of the Schools where they share their findings with their colleagues on campus. With the Webinar sessions, researchers who are based outside the country share their findings on researches they have done in Ghana.
He said, the Webinars are specifically planned to feature policy makers and other industry players who discuss the best methods to adopt to ensure best gains from the research findings.
He made known the UESD’s interest to sign an MOU with ISSER in all the proposed areas of partnership; especially, in areas of research and monitoring partnerships, programme development and curriculum review partnership.
Responding, the Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Professor Peter Quartey said, soliciting for funds and sponsorships have always been tedious processes in research. This requires strategically identifying institutions that are interested in the proposed research, preparation of proposals and in most cases, engaging in multiple defence presentations of the proposed research topics.
He stated that as an experienced researcher, he has observed that one of the major reasons researchers are denied sponsorship, may be due to the lack of confidence the funding bodies may have about the applicant(s).
Prof. Quartey urged researchers to present their proposals that would not cause doubts in the minds of sponsors. He applauded a proposal for the UESD to partner ISSER in research.
The Head of Department of Water Resource and Sustainable Development, Dr. Michael Tuffour; Dean of Students, Dr. Daniella Delali Sedegah and a Lecturer at SSD, Dr. Theodora Akwaley Asiamah, who were part of the UESD delegation and past PhD students of ISSER, took turns to express gratitude to Management of ISSER for the opportunity provided them and vowed to put up their best in UESD to make Management of ISSER proud. The other members of the meeting from ISSER were, Prof. George Owusu, Rev. Prof. Adobea Owusu, Prof. Augustin K. Fosu, Dr. Fred Dzanku, Dr. Andrew Agyei-Holmes, Dr. Cynthia A. Tagoe and Dr. Isaac Osei-Akoto.