Work hard to maintain foundation built at UDS
THE outgoing Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor Haruna Yakubu, has tasked his successor to continue to work hard to build on the foundation laid by the university authorities over the years, to maintain the international visibility status and recognition gained by the UDS.
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Mantle of leadership
Prof. Yakubu made the statement when he handed over the mantle of leadership to Prof. Gabriel Ayum Teye, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the university at the Central Administration of the University in Tamale yesterday. At the same ceremony, Prof. Yakubu also presented his handover notes to the incoming VC.
According to Prof. Yakubu, when he was appointed Vice Chancellor five years ago, the university was only seen as an institution established up north to satisfy the needs of the people in the area, but he was able to work hard, with support from the university authorities, to make the university visible, internationally and nationally.
Until his appointment as the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Teye was the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the UDS. His appointment took effect yesterday, October 1, 2015.
Prof. Yakubu said with the support of all staff of the university "we were able to work had to correct the perception that the UDS was a ‘northern university’ and this was through the internationalisation of programme we embarked upon".
The outgoing VC said through the internationalisation and linkages programmes embarked upon by the university, the UDS was now ranked 103rd in Africa, 58th in sub-Saharan Africa and for the past two years, had been ranked 3rd in Ghana.
Legacy
He noted that the African Leadership Lecture Series instituted by the UDS that allowed international and distinguished African leaders to come and speak at the university had also added up to the internationalisation drive by making the university more visible internationally and nationally.
For his part, Prof. Teye called for teamwork and collaboration from all members of staff of the university, to maintain and improve upon the enviable status achieved by his predecessor, and pledged to work hard to make UDS an "attractive choice" for prospective students, saying that could be only achieved through the collective efforts of all.
Prof. Teye also used the occasion to express his gratitude to Prof. Yakubu for his immense contribution to the growth of the university and for his open-door policy which he pledged to continue.