We are poised to produce impactful entrepreneurs - Vice Chancellor
The Ho Technical University (HTU) is poised to nurture its graduates into fully-fledged impactful entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to dynamic societal challenges.
The university, which continues to deepen its reputation as a reference point for technical education in the country, now has a flourishing niche area in entrepreneurship, hospitality and tourism management.
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The Vice Chancellor of HTU, Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga has therefore urged graduates of the institute to utilise the technical and entrepreneurial skills bequeathed them to create jobs and employ others.
Prof. Honyenuga, who made the call while addressing the university's 22nd congregation last Friday, said the school's Centre for Entrepreneurship Innovation and Technology Transfer was on hand to assist the graduates in realising their business ideas and related proposals to ensure their relevance and exceptionality in the world of work.
Prof. Honyenuga noted that the university's ranking as the 9th best university in Ghana in the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities released in 2021 had great persuasive effect on the institution in cognisance of its previous rankings in the 30s in 2019.
Achievements
The university has clinched several competitive awards including dominating the 2021 WorldSkills Ghana National competition in Fashion Technology, Graphic Design Technology, IT And Business Solutions, Electrical Installations and Cooking.
It was also adjudged the best in Artificial Intelligence solution in Agriculture, Communication and in Mobility at the 2021 virtual edition of HackLab foundation's hackathon competition, among others.
Prof. Honyenuga, in a report, said although the university was confronted with seeming unsurmountable challenges, the period presented the institution with the opportunity to augment its faculty and staff strength to address inefficiencies in the student-to-staff ratio across faculty and departments in the university.
The period also witnessed promotions to higher grades for faculty and registry.
Resourcing faculties & research
The HTU is also making its mark on the education landscape of the country with some groundbreaking research including the development of a new baobab tree with shorter gestation period of just 27 months.
Apart from setting up a GH₵ 500,000 research fund for its faculty, the university is also involved in several international collaborations and joint research project initiatives.
The Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management of HTU has also developed short courses delivered on weekends to enable interested individuals to enrol.
The President of Stanford Seed Transformation Network, Ghana and CEO, KAD Manufacturing Ltd, Mrs Linda Ampah, urged the graduates to map out strategic plans to arrive at their desired goals in all facets of life.
She believed that the skilled potentials of the Ghanaian youth superseded most expatriates working in various sectors of industry in the country.
Valedictorian
The Overall Best Graduating Student, Mr Jonathan Akoto, who was awarded with an HND in Agro-Enterprise Development, charged his colleagues to put their shoulders to the wheel by utilising practical skills acquired at the institution in contributing to the development of Ghana.
Awards
Out of 1,041 graduates presented, 36 received special awards from various institutions and individuals including the Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply, Institute of Chartered Accountants- Ghana, Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Nkulenu Industries and Kasapreko Company Limited, among others.