A five-member delegation from the University of the Gambia (UTG), led by its Registrar Dr. Momodou Lamin Traore, has paid a courtesy call on the Management of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Somanya in the Eastern Region, Ghana as part of its tour of tertiary institutions in Ghana. They were met by the UESD team led by the Registrar, Mrs Mary Abena Agyepong accompanied by some Senior Members of the University at a meeting in the Council Chamber.
The leader of the UTG team, Dr. Traore explained that he and his team are on a study tour to tertiary institutions in Ghana to familiarise themselves with Ghana’s educational systems and structures so that they can adapt them to their new sustainable smart structures campuses at Faraba Banta.
He said, that although UTG has been in operation for the past twenty-three (23) years, with five (5) campuses scattered across the country, its activities were initially attached to other government educational institutions.
He said, the construction of the new campus means all UTG’s activities will be focused in two (2) areas within the country.
Mrs Agyepong welcomed the team to the University and briefed them on the administrative functions and the activities the University has undertaken within its three years of operation internally and externally. For instance, she mentioned workshops held for farmers in surrounding communities on the impact of climate change on their activities, the UESD Community-Based Experimental Learning, dubbed COBEL deploys students to rural communities during long vacations to identify problems and proffer suggestions to solve them.
According to Mrs. Agyepong, the University has also reached out to organisations and industry for collaborations and this has resulted in the signing of over thirty-two (32) Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with various institutions locally and intentionally in areas such as research, internships, exchange programmes, and data sharing.
She advised the UTG team to develop programmes that are applicable to the job field and also the linkage between theories and the industry by going into partnerships with industry players who share in their vision.
She said that change can be challenging. Therefore, in moving to the new campuses, they must be deliberate, tactical, and patient about it until they achieve results. The Registrar also urged her colleague to strengthen its administrative system including records management, undertake frequent auditing, and undertake staff capacity building projects.
Mrs Agyepong advised them to utilise technological advancements of the 21st century to carry out their duties. She also advised the team to be proactive, resilient, and hardworking towards helping the Vice-Chancellor of their institution to achieve his goals. Other members at the meeting took turns to address the meeting.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UESD, Prof. Edward Wiafe Debrah later joined the meeting and wished them well in their endeavours.
Present at the meeting were: the Dean of the School of Sustainable Development, Prof. Anthony Amoah; the Dean of the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Prof. Kofi Mensah Nyarko; the Dean of Students, Dr. Daniella Delali Sedegah; the Director of Internal Audit, Dr. Emmanuel Opoku Agyeman; the Director of DPDEM, Surveyor, Isaac Abbam, Dr. Pardikor Madjitey, Head of Office of International Education, Head of Administration Division; Mrs Vivian De-Great Aidoo and the Head of University Relations; Ms. Barbara Yakubu. Other members from UTG were; the PA to the Vice-Chancellor of UTG, Mr. Alpha Lowe; the Director of International Office, Mr. Mbaka Camara; the Deputy Project Manager, Ansumana Demba and the Director of Planning & Budgetary, Lamin Cesay.