Dr. Adu-Gyamfi (M), Prof. Haruna (R) and Dr. Atibila on the (L)
THE GHANA Baptist University College (GBUC) in Kumasi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Texas A and M International University in the USA to promote mutual interests and development.
At the document signing ceremony on Thursday, the professor of Government and Public Administration at the Texas A and M International University, Peter Haruna, said the agreement is also expected to promote faculty and students exchange, research and grant proposals.
He said the US University was determined to internationalise its curricular and would consider signing similar agreements with other institutions in Ghana and other parts of the world, but its immediate goal was to expand relationship with the GBUC in Kumasi.
“It is our wish that our agreement with the GBUC works very well to benefit its students and faculty. Though this private university is small, it is the institution of the future with great potential to grow and influence the Ghanaian society”, Professor Haruna stressed.
President of the GBUC, Dr Yaw Afu-Gyamfi, said the signing of the agreement was the final phase of a long chat the two universities had had to collaborate and share ideas to help enhance their operational efficiencies.
He asserted that the collaboration was designed to advance exchange of research, joint conferences, exchange of student programmes and other relevant things that would help both institutions to flourish.
The GBUC president commended Dr John Atibila, Director of Research, Innovation and Partnerships of GBUC for negotiating the agreement, adding that the university plans to expose its students to the outside world to make them marketable in the competitive job market.
In his brief remarks, Dr Atibila observed that innovation is the key that leads to strategic development and exchange, and universities have no option but to innovate in order to remain relevant.
He said without innovation and creativity, it is impossible for any university to meet the teaching and learning demands of the 21st Century, adding that an innovative university should not duplicate what others have done, considering the intense competition among institutions.
“Currently, there is an intense competition among the 73 private institutions which are recognised by the National Accreditation Board (NAB); they also compete with the public institutions,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Mr Fred De-Graft Adjei, Assistant Registrar of the GBUC has said the Kumasi-based university college also has collaborative and affiliated programmes with Sumy State University, Ukraine, Oxford Brookes University, UK, Elstal Theological Seminary, Germany and a host of other international universities.
According to him, this would widen job prospect opportunities for graduates from the university after schooling, both locally and internationally, and also expose them to global university environment.
FROM James Quansah, Kumasi