Accra: Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), has urged newly admitted students to uphold the university’s values and maintain its reputation as they embark on their academic journey. In a speech read on her behalf at the 2024/2025 matriculation ceremony in Accra, Prof. Amfo emphasized the importance of discipline, excellence, and integrity in all aspects of the students’ lives, as their actions would reflect the image of the premier university.
According to Ghana News Agency, the ceremony was conducted on Saturday for first-year students at the College of Education, with similar events held simultaneously for students in the colleges of Humanities, Health Sciences, Basic and Applied Sciences, and Cross-Disciplinary Studies. Prof. Amfo advised students to familiarize themselves with the university’s regulations, highlighting that adherence to rules and ethical conduct are crucial for maintaining a positive academic environment.
Success at the university, she not
ed, extends beyond academic performance. It encompasses skill acquisition, embodiment of values, and development of resilience. The Vice Chancellor encouraged students to take advantage of diverse opportunities, including mentorship, leadership training, and extracurricular engagements, to develop holistically. Prof. Amfo assured the matriculants that their decision to enroll at UG was a step in the right direction, emphasizing the institution’s Five-year Strategic Plan (2024-2029).
The Plan focuses on Transformative Student Experience, Impactful Research, Commitment to Faculty and Staff, Engagement and Partnerships, and Sustainable Resource Mobilization and Stewardship. Some initiatives aimed at enhancing the student experience include the university’s digitalization agenda, leading to the refurbishment of lecture halls with modern technology to improve teaching and learning.
Prof. Amfo mentioned the ‘One Student, One Laptop’ (1S1L) initiative, which has provided nearly 500 laptops to brilliant but needy s
tudents to support their academic work. She also acknowledged the persistent challenges with student accommodation, noting that the demand for on-campus housing exceeds available space. However, the university is working on expansion projects to address this issue.
The Diamond Jubilee Hall, with a capacity for 1,256 students, was commissioned recently and is ready for occupation. A random bed allocation process has been completed. Ongoing projects like the Pan-African Doctoral Academy Hostel and the Ghana Universities Staff Superannuation Scheme (GUSSS) Students’ Hostel project are part of efforts to expand capacity. The university has also implemented a randomized bed allocation system to ensure fairness and transparency in traditional hall spaces, benefiting 3,941 fresh students.
Prof. Amfo mentioned exploring partnerships with private hostels to provide off-campus housing alternatives. She highlighted the availability of financial assistance for students in need, pointing out that the UG, through its int
ernally generated funds, awarded over 280 tuition scholarships in the previous academic year. Additionally, more than 2,000 students benefitted from external scholarship partnerships, while the Students’ Representative Council funded 238 scholarships for students unable to pay their academic facility user fees.
She encouraged students to prioritize their health and well-being, urging them to seek support from the Student Clinic and the Careers and Counselling Directorate when necessary. To ensure their safety on campus, she advised students to be security-conscious and utilize the university’s 24-hour security services.