The University of Ghana is this year celebrating its 75th anniversary.
As the nation’s oldest and largest university, Legon has, in the last 75 years, played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s intellectual landscape, producing giant sons and daughters of the world through education, scholarship, innovation, creative excellence, leadership and independence of thought.
Sarpong Agyemeng, an M.A. student of the department of communication studies admits that pursuing the M.A. in communication studies “has changed my perspective about a number of things” and even broadened his worldview.
Courtesy: Kojo Kwarteng // Unsplash
Agyemang, 26, notes that he never thought they had any significance, “these many scholarly materials we were required to study in the programme, until I started applying them to everyday life.”
Agyemang doesn’t think his dream of propounding his own communication theory is farfetched, and attributes it to the training he’s received in his Master’s programme at the university.
Through its research centres and social development initiatives, the university has actively contributed to addressing societal challenges such as poverty, healthcare, environmental sustainability and governance; and has over the years been at the forefront of championing social justice, equality, equity and inclusivity, playing the role of furthering gender equality, fostering diversity, and empowering people, especially those from marginalised communities.
Christopher Wetcher is a few months away from finishing his PhD in archaeology and heritage studies at the University of Ghana, and believes the university has contributed to who he is today.
“The people and places I have accessed due to the platforms UG has given me through scholarship and intellectual development, have made me a better person.”
Wetcher, 33, and a native of Sefwi-Wiawso, believes he has become a better person today due to the people and places he has accessed through the school.
Through the platform the school has given him, Wetcher, who “hadn’t had any encounter with Accra before 2009”, has travelled to and presented papers in Egypt and even some parts of Europe – a dream he believes wouldn’t have been possible if the school hadn’t given him the opportunity.
As it celebrates its 75th anniversary, the University of Ghana is embarking on a plan to further enhance its academic offerings, research capabilities, and infrastructure, by reviewing and expanding its programmes to meet the evolving needs of the job market.
Courtesy: Kojo Kwarteng // Unsplash
The Institute of African Studies, for instance, has proposed ten different specialisations to equip their graduates with specialised training and expertise in their individual fields of study.
“As the oldest and largest institute of the school, the institute has helped the school achieve its mission of developing the African brain by conscientising the African student about the African way of life as far as politics, economics, health, literature, music, dance, and African philosophy and thought are concerned,” says Williams Asare, Assistant Registrar of the institute.
Additionally, the school is investing in state-of-the-art research facilities and forging partnerships with leading international institutions to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange through science and technology.
Francis Boachie talks about the university’s commitment to strengthening quality education and research through “innovation and science and technology with a human face.”
Boachie is Chief Information and Technical Officer at the University of Ghana Computing Services, and believes “this advanced level of science and tech, influenced by Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, puts the school at par with Yale and Harvard.”
Due to its dedication to research and innovation, the University of Ghana has consistently ranked among the top universities in Africa, gaining international recognition for its academic excellence, groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in the fields of medicine, agriculture, technology, the arts and the social sciences.
The 75th anniversary celebration of the University of Ghana is testament to the school’s enduring legacy and commitment to excellence.
As the school celebrates 75 years of academic excellence, it seeks to continue deepening its global impact by actively addressing societal challenges through research, scholarship, academic excellence, outreach programmes, partnerships and collaborations with government agencies, NGOs, industry stakeholders and local and international communities.
