UCC graduates14,643 students at 57th congregation   

The University of Cape Coast (UCC), at its 57th Congregation, saw the graduation of 14,643 students at a ceremony held from December 9 – 13, 2024.   

Of the number, 1,407 were from the College of Distance Education, 1,759 from the College of Education Studies (Sandwich), 1,950; College of Education Studies (Regular), and 2,559; School of Graduate Studies.   

The College of Humanities and Legal Studies presented 2,513 students, with 4,455 coming from the College of Health and Allied Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences.  

Having empowered them with the knowledge and skills across various fields, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Vice Chancellor, challenged the graduates to create their own jobs and not wait to be employed by the government.   

For their continuous development, he entreated them to commit themselves to lifelong learning to contribute to the advancement of society.   

“…Make good use of your network, build relationships with professionals in your desired fields, attend events, join alumni associations and leverage social media.  

“You must also stay updated on current affairs, legal developments and cultural trends” the Vice Chancellor said in a statement delivered on his behalf by Prof Rosemond Boohene, the Pro Vice Chancellor.   

In the report for the 2023/2024 academic year, he noted that the university had completed many building projects and asphalted major parts of the school’s road network during the past four years.   

However, the institution continued to grapple with infrastructural deficit, particularly the lack of adequate residential facilities to accommodate all students, a situation which posed security and safety threats to the students.   

To address that, he said the University was working with the local branch of the Ghana Universities Staff Superannuation Scheme to construct residential facilities for students.  

The UCC had also established collaborations with many institutions across the globe to increase its visibility, he noted.   

Management had finalised bilateral talks and signed Memoranda of Understanding with many of its new strategic partners from other institutions of higher learning.   

It also conferred honorary doctorate degrees on three distinguished personalities; Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Oguaamanhen, Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao, a former Permanent Representative of the African Union to the United States, and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.   

Prof Boampong reported that the College of Distance Education with the support of some departments and the Ghana Education Service introduced a three-trimester career-oriented programme dubbed; Switch 3.1, for professional graduate teachers.   

The programme was carefully engineered to align with the national development priorities and address gaps in teaching expertise, offering specialisation in various fields including Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English, Management and Home Economics.   

He said graduate education continued to be a strong focus in UCC’s strategic plan and had, thus, instituted numerous measures to foster focused learning to produce graduates with strong values and commitment to society.   

“The school, as part of its mandate, has begun an outreach programme with affiliated institutions and distance education students across the country,’’ he said.   

“This exercise is meant to reach out to students and explain the University’s policies and programmes to them.”    

Prof Boampong said UCC maintained its position as the topmost ranked university in Ghana and West Africa and among the15 topmost in Africa in the latest ranking by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking.   

“The University of Cape Coast has long been a beacon of knowledge and innovation in Ghana. To maintain this status, we must come together – faculty, students, alumni, administration and community members to foster an environment where collaboration thrives.”   

Source: GNA   

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