‘Programmes should reflect academic excellence’
The new vice Chancellor of the Valley View University (VVU), Ghana, Prof. Daniel K. Bediako, has underscored the need for educational institutions to let their academic programmes reflect their academic excellence in teaching and research, as well students’ success.
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“The reputation of every university hinges upon the quality of its academic programmes, hence, we need to embark on thorough evaluation of existing programmes, discontinue those that are less viable, and further strengthening those that are marketable and self-supporting,” he said.
Prof. Bediako made the remarks at an investiture and induction ceremony to confer on him the new position at the university’s campus at Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region last Monday.
Innovative programmes
He said there was the need for the country’s tertiary institutions to embark on a paradigm shift and develop innovative programmes, particularly those relevant in changing the needs of society, paying attention to the development of natural sciences, engineering and possibly medical programmes that would contribute to national development.
Fiscal challenges
Addressing the institution’s fiscal challenges, Prof. Bediako said a venture outfit had been set up to oversee the operations of the existing income generating units, and create new avenues for income.
“Our need is to now demonstrate fiscal responsibility and effective allocation of resources to create funds through income generating units to ensure long-term financial sustainability,” he said.
Other areas that he envisioned to transform are the institution’s infrastructural development and marketing strategies for the next five years.
Prof. Bediako
Prof. Bediako, at 39, is the first alumnus of the university to be appointed as the Vice-Chancellor since it was accredited by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) in 1997.
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He graduated from the premier private university in the country in 2002 with first class honours and had a full scholarship to continue his studies at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines.
In 2004 and 2009, he earned his Masters of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Religion respectively.
Before his appointment as the Vice-Chancellor in November 2015, he was the acting Pro Vice-Chancellor of the same institute (August 2014-October 2015).
In her remarks, a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, Ms Rosmund Comfort Abrah, congratulated the new Vice-Chancellor on his appointment, urging the youth to emulate his handwork to attain similar height in life.