Pro Vice-Chancellor Meets Representatives of Affiliate Institutions
The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has interacted with representatives of affiliate institutions of KNUST at the 11th Liaison Committee Meeting at the Gardiner Conference Room, KNUST in Kumasi.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, who is also the Chairman of the Affiliations Committee, welcomed the representatives on behalf of the University Management. He stated that as the mentor institution it was in the right direction that a meeting is scheduled periodically to discuss issues regarding their operations as well as advise and correct them where necessary.
Professor Owusu-Dabo in his address said that from an audit conducted by the Affiliations Committee, it was revealed that most of the academic board and council representatives of the affiliate institutions were family members. He continued that though these institutions are privately owned, institutions of higher learning are not run that way. ‘Academia relies on meritocracy,’ he said. As such, he advised that the constitution of Committees and Boards should be made up of candidates who are qualified.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor also used the opportunity to encourage the institutions who have difficulties in paying their affiliation fees to make payment plans with the University Management.
In her remarks, the Deputy Registrar, Academic Affairs, Mrs. Margaret A. Dzisi, said that KNUST is noted for quality delivery of its mandate and would not compromise on it. She said as a requirement by KNUST, the mentor institution, all affiliate institutions need to comply with the terms of their affiliations.
Mrs. Dzisi further stated that it is also a quality assurance procedure for affiliate institutions to appoint external examiners, and as part of the appointment process, their details must be shared with KNUST for approval. According to her, the external examiners if appointed must have a tenure of three years and should be renewable for another three years. She cautioned them against using faculty members from fellow affiliate institutions as external examiners. She said though it may be difficult scouting for appropriate candidates, KNUST is ready to assist, advise and direct them to qualified candidates to serve as external examiners.
Mrs. Oluwakemi Abisola Titiloye, the Senior Assistant Registrar of the Affiliations Office, stated that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Liaison Committee did not get the chance to have in-person meetings but took advantage of the virtual space to organise an online workshop for the affiliate institutions, and it was highly patronised.
Mrs. Titiloye in her address, hinted the meeting that a policy framework for affiliations as well as other resources requested by the affiliate institutions would be shared on the University’s website to be accessed by all. She encouraged the representatives to feel free to consult her office whenever they need help.
The meeting centred on issues such as the appointment of external examiners, moderators, academic board and council representatives, payment of affiliation fees, renewal of affiliation, issues with examination questions, and schedule for consideration of examination results, among others.
The 11th Liaison Committee meeting saw participants from Anglican University College, AKIM State, Fountainhead College, Garden City University College, Regent University College, Ensign Global College, Kessben University College, Mountcrest University College, NARH-BITA, Radford University and Spiritan University College. Other affiliate institutions were Accra Business School, Christ Apostolic University College, Winsconsin International University College, KAAF University College, Presbyterian University College, Institute of Local Government Studies, Entrance University College of Health Sciences, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies, Lakeside University College and the Institute of Development and Technology Management.
