The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), has developed 78 new programmes related to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and entrepreneurial education.
These programmes were developed after the conduct of a successful national and internal university-wide comprehensive needs assessment, and in consultation with major stakeholders, especially, industries, to guide the strategic development of the university.
A total of 38 of the programmes are fully accredited and the rest are at various stages of accreditation.
Professor Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice Chancellor of the University, who announced this, said the university had managed to increase its academic programmes from 42 to over 120 since 2020.
Speaking at the 2nd congregation of the university in Kumasi, he said the university had also increased its enrolment since it was granted autonomy in 2020.
He said before the autonomy, the student population was 17,639.
Professor Sarfo said this year, 11,027 applicants were admitted and registered and this increased the students’ population on campus to 30,453.
A total of 1,190 students were conferred with certificates, diplomas, bachelors’, masters’ and doctorate degrees.
Prof. Sarfo said the staff of the university were undergoing continuous training and motivating them to use competence-based training methodology in instructional delivery.
Also, the university was strengthening its collaborations with about 35 local institutions and companies and 25 international agencies and institutions to improve academic training, internships, and mentorships.
He said the construction of the ultra-modern entrepreneurship and business incubation centre to energise, empower, direct invention innovation and business creation among students, was 89 percent complete.
A 1,500-seater lecture block had also been constructed to augment lecture facilities, while a four-storey Opoku Ware II , hall of residence extension block to expand residential accommodation for students, had also been completed.
Professor Sarfo pointed out that, the board and management was doing everything possible to expand academic infrastructure at both the Kumasi and Mampong campuses of the university to meet the growing students’ enrolment and improve on teaching and learning.
He called on the government to assist the young university by providing additional lecture halls and residential accommodation for the students, as well as workshops and laboratories with modern tools and equipment to cope with the increasing number of students.
Prof, Sarfo also called for the completion of the 3,500-capacity Convention Centre which had been abandoned for over a decade, to provide a conducive atmosphere for holding academic and social events at the university.
Mr Paul Akwasi Agyeman, Chairman of the University Council, called on the government to help the young university in terms of infrastructural development to enable it to achieve its mandate of producing skillful, competent, and innovative human resource for the country’s technical and vocational development.
He called on the graduands to use the skills and knowledge acquired effectively to impact positively on society.
GNA
KOM/AD
March 19, 2024
