The International Programmes Office (IPO) together with the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (WiSTEM) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has organised a two-day workshop for recently recruited young female academic and administrative staff of the University. The workshop was designed to inspire and motivate young female entrants into the academic arena to excel.

In a speech read on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, the Dean of IPO and the Chairman for the workshop, Professor Rexford Assasie Oppong, mentioned that the essence of the workshop is to help increase awareness of the roles and responsibilities of participants as young administrators and academics.

She observed that women in academia face many issues relating to their gender; including perceptions that females are less competent, have lower publication outputs and research funding. Additionally, they are overwhelmed with high workload; lack administrative support and suffer from a never-ending struggle to balance between academic duties and family responsibilities. She was however confident that periodic workshops and trainings will equip them to bring significant improvement to societies and progress in their careers.

The Vice-Chancellor advised the participants to prepare to complete advanced degrees, carry out relevant research to solve societal problems as well as contribute to literature to make the University visible. She again encouraged them to take the task necessary to provide leadership in the educational world.

Professor (Mrs.) Ibok Oduro, the former Provost of the College of Science and the President of WiSTEM took participants through effective communication skills and grooming, qualities essential to excel as a young female academic/administrator in the academic environment. 

She stated that sharpening one’s communication and grooming skills would help in knowledge sharing and effective networking in the University system. She therefore advised participants to practise good communication skills at the workplace.

She also took participants through tips on good grooming etiquettes.

At the end of the workshop, the young female staff were educated on leadership and team building, research writing and conference presentation and IT Skills in Research and Handling Data. Resource persons for the training included Professor (Mrs.) Chrissie Abaidoo, the Head of Anatomy Department; Professor Marian Nkansah of the Chemistry Department and Professor Atinuke Olusola Adebanji the Head of Statistics and Actuarial Science Department.

The Deputy Registrar of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Juliana Serwaa Andoh; Mrs. Ellen Awotwi, Assistant Accountant; and Mrs. Gladys Addai, Senior Assistant Registrar of IPO took the participants through how to get information, connection between Academics and Administrators, handling budget on research projects and internationalisation and exchanges.

Participants were given certificates of participation signed by Professor Rexford Assasie Oppong and Professor (Mrs.) Ibok Oduro.