The Sunyani Technical University is currently constructing two laboratories – a microbiology lab and a pharmacology lab – through its internally generated funds for the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences to resolve practical training challenges facing the department.
The projects, which have been awarded to Klik Construction Limited, are expected to be completed by the end of the year to provide hands-on-practical training to dispensing technology students at the University to prepare them adequately for the job market.
Ing. Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, the Vice-Chancellor disclosed this during the 16th congregation of the university held over the weekend under the theme: "Technical and Professional Skills Training - Solution to the High Rate of Youth Unemployment in Ghana."
A total of 1,863 students graduated with Bachelor of Technology (B-Tech) degrees, Higher National Diploma (HND) and Diploma Certificates in Engineering, TVET, Applied Science and Technology, Built Environment and Applied Arts, as well as in Business and Management Studies disciplines.
In terms of distribution according to classes, 259 (13.9%) obtained First Class, 1,059 (56.8%) obtained Second Class Upper Division, 527 (28.3%) obtained Second Class Lower Division and 18 (1.0%) obtained Pass.
Partnerships
The Vice-Chancellor announced that the University has recently gone into partnerships with some institutions and corporate bodies for mutual benefits.
For instance, he said, STU is in partnership with Fanshawe College of Engineering based in London Ontario, Canada, in capacity building towards Electric Vehicle and Industrial Welding Technologies, among others.
“This collaboration has won a Canadian Government grant of 500,000 Canadian Dollars to train twenty STU Staff (11 Women and 9 Men) in Canada, commencing in September 2024. STU is prepared to see to the effective implementation of this project between our two institutions”, the Vice-Chancellor added.
Ing. Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah further announced that the University has also signed MoU with the Mohan College of Engineering for Staff Capacity Building, Joint Research/Projects and Students Mobility.
He explained that under the Students Mobility arrangement, Mohan Students will attend a semester abroad here at STU in Ghana and STU Students will also have their turn to visit Mohan in Canada. The project kick starts in the 2024/25 academic year.
Touching on the partnership with SUNY PI, the Vice-Chancellor said arrangements are far advanced for the STU and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY PI), Utica, New York, USA, to sign an MoU for Staff development, students/staff Exchange programmes, Joint Grant Proposal Writings and Joint Research in the areas of Electric Vehicles, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D Printing, and other related areas.
He stated that several engagements have already gone on between STU and the management of SUNY PI which will culminate in the signing of an MoU and subsequent implementation of various projects.
He was positive that this partnership will help STU to build more capacity in its niche area, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and others.
Ghana Armed Forces
Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah also disclosed that STU has signed an Affiliation Agreement with the Ghana Armed Forces Training School in Teshie, Accra.
“This has culminated in the mounting of four programmes including BTech Building Technology, BTech Wood Construction, BTech Electrical Engineering and BTech Mechanical Engineering. The four programmes already have 96 students enrolled for the 2023/24 Academic Year.”
Transformative growth
For his part, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, praised the transformative growth and development of STU and promised the government’s support to make the university a world-class institution.
He said he was impressed about the 20 percent discount the institution had offered female students pursuing Engineering programmes, adding that: “With your limited resources the university has performed creditably, and we assure to provide the necessary resources for the university to become the best in Ghana, Africa and the world” and to churn out the quality human resource base required to advance the fourth revolution.
The Bono Regional Minister and a host of other dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
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