The Chancellor of the Presbyterian University, Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Opare Kwakye, has stated that the relevance of academic programmes must be judged by their ability to respond to the demands of the workplace and the country’s national development priorities.
He therefore called for stronger internships, industry partnerships and entrepreneurship training to bridge the gap between university education and the world of work.
Delivering a speech at the University’s 20th Congregation Ceremony at Nkwatia-Kwahu in the Eastern Region on November 6, during which more than 1,000 undergraduate students from thirteen programmes were graduated, the Chancellor, who is also the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, said: "Our curricula must remain relevant, informed by professional standards and responsive to national development priorities."
He added: "Work-integrated learning, internships, practical projects, entrepreneurship, research and sustained engagement with industry and communities should form part of the student experience wherever appropriate."
Quality over quantity
Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye stressed that the university must not limit its ambition to offering more programmes, but must ensure that they are of demonstrable quality and prepare graduates to make a difference. "We must prepare graduates not only to seek employment, but also to create opportunities, solve problems and serve their communities," he stated.
His remarks come amid national concern over graduate unemployment and the persistent gap between what universities teach and what employers need.
He said the country needed graduates who could create jobs and solve problems, not merely those who went in search of jobs. To achieve that, he urged the university to strengthen its practical components and called on alumni and corporate partners to support PUG with placements, mentorship and industry exposure for students.
New programmes
Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye described the new academic programmes introduced this year, including M.Sc. Cyber Security, M.Sc. Emergency and Disaster Management, M.Sc. Project Planning and Management, and MBA Human Resource Management and Development, as a step in the right direction, but insisted that quality and relevance must remain central.
Employability agenda
The Chancellor also linked the employability agenda to the university’s holistic "Head, Heart and Hand" philosophy, describing the practical, work-ready dimension as the "Hand" component of PUG’s educational mission. However, he emphasised that making academic programmes relevant was not a task for management alone. "These are not challenges for Management alone. They require the collective commitment of Council, Management, Faculty, Staff, students, alumni, the Church and our partners," he said.
Beginning, not end
He charged graduands to see their degrees as a beginning rather than an end, urging them to continue acquiring knowledge, developing new skills and adapting to a changing world. "Do not measure success solely by wealth, position or recognition, but also by the lives you touch, the problems you solve and the positive difference you make," he advised.
The ceremony also recognised the University’s continued growth, with the Chancellor noting that student admissions continued to increase each year.
