The Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Mr. Kwasi Agyemang Busia has disclosed his outfit’s intention to collaborate with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi to form and build strategic partnerships in setting up a Regional Centre of Excellence for building capacities in vehicle management and standardisation at KNUST.
He made this announcement during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST on Tuesday, 12th September, 2023 at the Council Chamber of the University. The purpose of the visit was to further discuss areas of collaboration of mutual interest such as the Tertiary Students Drive (TertS Drive) Initiative and develop a joint curriculum in professional driving skills and management for drivers.
According to Mr. Busia, the Centre would serve as a research wing of the DVLA to build the capacity of vehicle operators and serve as a facility for driving schools for students and other personnel. He added that under his administration, the DVLA has undergone transformation, such as the ‘TertS Drive’ initiative which will ensure that all interested university students own a driver’s license before graduating. He noted that the aim of partnering with universities was to provide a package that would give the students additional skills and extra advantage in the job market. He mentioned that the initiative would also offer students who already have their driver’s licenses, the opportunity to build their capacities for renewals and upgrading at their own schedule, without compromising the integrity of the DVLA system.
Mr. Busia and his team hoped to build a stronger partnership with KNUST.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, in her remarks, lauded the CEO for their achievements and highlighted the positive impact DVLA has on all. She added that as a leading science and technology institution poised to train graduates to lead future transformations, KNUST is excited to collaborate with the DVLA for mutual benefit. To this end, she stated that academia-industry collaboration is an integral part that enables the training of work-ready students and graduates for the future.
Professor (Mrs.) Dickson assured the team of KNUST’s commitment to offer support in the training of graduates, sharing of expertise, and building of capacity of drivers and DVLA staff. She revealed that a space had been allocated to the DVLA to set the Centre in motion and emphasised the need for consistent communication between both parties for a successful execution of the initiative.
Presenting on the ‘DVLA-KNUST Collaboration Prospect,’ the Deputy Director of Research, Business Development, and Innovation at DVLA, Mr. Abraham Zaato said that over the years DVLA has changed the definition of a driving license to one that includes capacity building and training that respond to future needs of driving. He said that driving is a science, and it is important to form alliances with institutions like KNUST to ensure that the science is properly developed to contribute to the future of transport.
