The Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) has launched a 10 year development plan. The strategic plan is to redirect the institution’s focus to suit technical university standards and meet the needs of students.
Professor Samuel Alnaa, Vice Chancellor of the Bolgatanga Technical University, explained to Mark Smith today on the Day Break Upper East Show that TVET education had become one of the primary competencies for the country’s rapid growth.
He believes that the BTU’s new status as a technical university requires the institution to do more to prepare students to reach global standards and contribute to the country’s rapid growth.
“Every society or organisation needs to plan its activities that gives its sense of direction and focus. Even for Ghana, we have a series of development plans. It is the same as the strategic plan; that is, where the country sees itself in the next foreseeable years. In the same vein, after the conversion of the polytechnic into a tertiary institution, that would mean that the polytechnic development plan was no longer usable. It has become moribond and so we need to seek a new direction. Once we are a university, we need to redirect our focus, first, in terms of our training. Also, the calibre of students, infrastructure and financing. Which people do we want to have? What is the concentration? We must also make sure there is a level playing field and equal access to tertiary education. Given this background, we needed to put all these ideas in a document such that tomorrow, if Samuel Alnaa is not there, another VC would not come and change anything.” he said.
Background
The institution was initially established as a Polytechnic in 1992 under PNDC Law 321 (1992), and thereafter converted to the status of a Technical University in April, 2020, in line with the Technical Universities Act, 2016 (Act 922), as amended. The Act, 922, mandates the University to provide higher education in Engineering, Science and Technology-based disciplines, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Applied Arts and related disciplines, and award degrees including honorary degrees, diplomas, certificates and other qualifications agreed upon by the Governing Council Currently the University offers a number of Bachelor of Technology degree programmes, Higher National Diploma (HND) and non-tertiary programmes in TVET, business and science-related disciplines. Preparations are underway to introduce postgraduate programmes.
In order to achieve the University’s mandate as stipulated in the Act, 2016, (Act 922), as amended, the University’s Governing Council decided to develop a 10-year Strategic Plan (2023-2032) to guide the University’s medium-to-long-term growth. The purpose of the plan is to provide direction in the medium to long term for the University, by creating a conducive institutional environment for academic and entrepreneurial training. The plan provides guidelines and specific actions, timelines for relevant activities, roles and responsibilities, rresources,and the monitoring and evaluation required for success. The Strategic Plan is in two phases: 2023-2027 and 2028-2032
The methodology adopted was broad-based, open, and participatory consultation with internal and external stakeholders, such as: students, staff, employers, employees, alumni, and specialists from various areas, including community sector players. The committee also reviewed the strategic plans of other universities. The purpose was to obtain their input and buy-in for developing a stakeholder-owned document for ease of implementation, accountability, and good governance.
The Strategic Plan puts forth a key aspiration for the university to become a leading Technical University in Ghana and beyond, producing skilled, knowledgeable and employable graduates in various disciplines for industry. To realise this aspiration, the University will promote effective and quality teaching/learning research, community service and resource mobilisation.
The first phase of the Strategic plan, 2023-2027, aims at positioning the Institution to become a leading technological university while the second phase, 2028-2032, seeks to consolidate the gains made thereof. In this regard, the University has developed seven (7) strategic priority areas that seek to:
- Increase student enrolment taking into account diversity, quality and equity
- Improve infrastructure, facilities and services for teaching, learning and research
- Strengthen and improve teaching, learning, research and community service. 4. Improve Internationalisation and stakeholder collaboration (ie., university/industry/alumni)
- Strengthen ecological agriculture through research, teaching/learning, training and extension services
- Improve resource mobilisation and utilisation 7. Improve corporate governance and management systems
The implementation of these strategic priority areas should propel the University to its desired destination as a preferred tertiary institution. This requires new thinking, commitment, resource mobilisation and funding from both internal and external stakeholders.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
