Prof. Karikari heads School of Communications Studies : At Wisconsin University, Ghana
The seasoned communications scholar, Professor Kwame Karikari, has been appointed the new Dean of the School of Communications Studies at the Wisconsin International University College.
Advertisement
Prof. Karikari, who has over 35 years’ academic experience under his belt, is a former Director of the School of Communications Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, and Founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
He is an internationally recognised media advocate and scholar, editorial member of several international journals and UNESCO consultant on journalism education.
Setting out his vision for the School of Communications Studies, Prof. Karikari said: “We want the School of Communications Studies at Wisconsin to be one of the top communications schools in Ghana to attract students from the region and beyond. We want everybody to point to this school as a standard-bearer in communications training.”
“Through a combination of strong academics and professional training, graduates from this school will represent a new generation of well-trained communicators with strong intellectual preparation,” he added.
As part of his vision, the new dean said he hoped to employ the best in the field, including communications practitioners, incorporating writing as a core practice across all specialisations, providing courses that enhance intellectual capacity and strengthen critical thinking, as well as applying the UNESCO model of journalism across all communications courses.
He said the school would organise internship and placement in the industry for students (newspaper, radio, TV, PR and advertising) and engage in public discourse on communications in Ghana through public lectures and other fora and also develop the school’s research capacity.
Programme
Wisconsin’s School of Communication Studies runs a four-year BA Communications Studies programme affiliated to the University of Cape Coast.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian media expert, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, has also been appointed Departmental Head of the School of Communications Studies.
Ambassador Kabral is a household name in media circles. He was one-time Director of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and former lecturer in Journalism and Communication at the Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
He has held various leadership positions in media, including former Chairman of the National Media Commission, former President of the West African Journalists Association and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and former executive member of both the Commonwealth Journalists Association and the International Federation of Journalists.
The programme is open to WASSCE/SSSCE graduates, mature students, diploma holders (for a top-up degree) and holders of other professional qualifications.