7072 students graduated from the 23rd congregation of the University for Development Studies
A total of 7072 students have graduated from the University for Development Studies (UDS) in the 2021–2022 academic years. They comprise 27 PHD students, 261 master’s degree students, and 6,784 undergraduates.
The number includes students from the Navrogo and Wa campuses of the university. Out of the total, female graduates of all levels stood at 2,942. The major challenges confronting the premium university in northern Ghana were a lack of skill training, science laboratories, lecture halls, accommodations, and Internet services.
In an address at the 23rd congregation, Vice Chancellor of UDS, Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, said the university also needs clearance to recruit staff to critical areas such as science because some staff have left while others have returned to their maker and therefore the need to replace them.
He appealed to both the government and private sector to support UDS in addressing the challenges in order to promote academic excellence in the areas of teaching, research, learning, and community outreach programs.
Despite the challenges, UDS academic success has consistently ranked as one of the top four universities in Ghana and one of the best in West Africa for several years now, Professor Seidu said. According to the VC’s last AD scientific index released in May 2022, UDS is among the top science universities in Ghana.
Thirty-eight (38) academic staff, by the merit of their hard work, were ranked among the top 1000 scientists in Ghana. The latest global ranking of universities released in October last year also placed UDS fourth in Ghana and 80th in Africa.
The management, the VC assured, will continue to work both day and night to ensure that the numerous challenges—ICT infrastructure in particular—are addressed while waiting for the government to provide them with technical and financial support for the university’s digitization effort.
UDS has adopted what he called a simple but practical and harmless gender policy to promote teaching, research, and learning, and efforts are being made to ensure gender balance for key decisions involving admissions, recruitment, promotion, and representation on statutory committees.
The university intensified efforts to achieve gender parity in the admission of students, and the percentages of females continue to rise. The gender policy Professor Seidu stated manifests itself in sports because it allows admission of talented sportsmen and women whose grades qualify them to enter university.
Professor Wayo Seini praised the northern regional minister for his support to the university and proposed that GetFund take all tertiary institutions utility bills. He also encouraged.
The overall best student of the department of engineering with cumulative grade point average of 4.89, Abdul Rahman Lansah who delivered the valedictory speech called on the government to ensure that contractors working on asphalting of inner roads of the Nyankpala campus complete it. The Mechanical engineering student also called on industry players to support the government.
On the real challenge after university, Mr Lansah noted that very few graduates he noted will have the opportunity to be employed in the public sector because of the current economic challenges and urged his colleagues to form partnerships.
