GTUC, Conventry University to collaborate -To introduce post graduate programmes

Story: Fauziatu Adam
The Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC) is to introduce 14 new post-graduate programmes under a joint programme with Conventry University of the United Kingdom next academic year.
    The programmes include Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Information studies, MBA Logistics, MBA Finance, MBA Oil and Gas Management.
    Others include Master of Science (MSc) in Forensic Computing, Network Computing, Software Development, Microelectronics and Wireless Systems, Engineering Project Management and Msc Logistics.
    The rest are Msc Information Technology for Management, Business Decision Management, Management Information Systems and Oil and Gas Management.
    Students pursuing any of these programmes would be awarded with a Conventry University degree.
    The President of the university, Dr Osei Darkwa, announced this at the first congregation ceremony of the university  in Accra.
    He added that the university had earlier this year  introduced two new doctoral programmes (PhD)  in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Technology Engineering to enhance the range of programmes offered in the institute.
    This, he said, was a collaborative venture between the university and Aalborg University in Denmark.
    “Consistent with global trends in higher education, we are expanding the use of technology to create a “ Virtual GTUC’ network of faculty, students, alumni and friends to encourage life-long relationships among the growing GTUC community” he said.
    He mentioned that the university’s core research activities address issues in areas such as Internet fraud, youth capacity building through ICT, mobile health, virtual labs, virtual education, as well as virtual institution building.
    He expressed his appreciation to the pioneering students and their parents for their support.
    In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetey Enyo, assured that the government would make significant budgetary allocation to education at all levels, especially the tertiary level.
    “Polytechnics, universities and other tertiary institutions would be adequately resourced to play more meaningful roles in the growth and development of the country, especially now that Ghana joins the elite group of oil producing countries” he added.
    He added that the government would pay particular attention to the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning and enhance the capacity of teachers through constant programmes to upgrade themselves.
    In all, 172 students graduated from the university. Anthony Ntem and Audrey Nadia Nwayombeth Dossah were honoured with the Best Bachelor of Science Degree in Telecom, while Isaac Otoo-Siaw and Alida Simpore emerged as the best students in Bachelor of Science and Information Technology respectively.
 In a related development, the Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC) has introduced an  Internet laboratory (Ilab) training programme to enable institutions share physical laboratories via the Internet.
The project has the potential of opening doors for collaborative research with other institutions to promote a shift from theoretical learning to practical learning.
It is also cost effective and reliable for institutions to share laboratories and laboratory equipment via the Internet.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetey-Enyo, said the new technology, which was a collaborative effort between the GTUC and the ministry, was aimed at stimulating the production and application of new ideas that would form the basis of economic development.
He added the ministry among its objectives, aims at providing relevant education to Ghanaians at all levels to enable them acquire skills that would assist them in developing their potential in support of the national poverty reduction programmes and promote socio-economic growth.
He expressed the ministry’s commitment to support the development of the Ilab at the GTUC and other tertiary institutions by providing facilities and resources for the effective training of students.
The opening session of the programme brought together different students from tertiary institutions in the country, including Accra Polytechnic, Regent University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Koforidua Polytechnic, Ho Polytechnic and the Ghana Telecom University College.