The Human Resource Division of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has organised a day’s workshop for newly appointed academic staff of the University at the Great Hall on Thursday, 19th November, 2020. The objective of the workshop was to equip and educate the newly appointed staff on their various duties and what is expected of them.
The Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo congratulated the participants on their appointments to work in the best University in Ghana and West-Africa, and urged them to regard it as an opportunity to serve.
Mr. Ebenezer Otieku, Registrar of College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS) in his presentation on the ‘University Governance and the Committee System’, outlined the features of a system and how the University works as a system. He stated that the aim of the University is to provide higher education, undertake relevant research, disseminate knowledge and foster relationships with external individuals, bodies and organisations. He advised the new staff to read the scheme of service, conditions of service and administrative manual in order to act in a manner expected of them.
Professor Ibok Oduro, former Provost of the College of Science, stated that mentoring plays a critical role in academics with regard to career progression. She stated that the newly recruited staff members had been assigned to Senior lecturers who have had long served in the University, committed to the institution's equality and diversity principles and possess the relevant skills to effectively mentor them. This mentorship, she explained would help improve staff performance and project the overall image of the University. Prof. Oduro advised the lecturers to be honest, open and seek advice when necessary. She tasked the mentees to be willing to endure challenges and work hard.
Participants were also taken through presentations on topics such as Preparing to teach in a university environment, Instructional techniques and strategies, Mentorship programme at KNUST, Ethics at the Workplace and Identifying and managing student behaviour.
Other topics included; University library system, Proposal writing and grants management, Students/lecturer assessment, Sensitization on KNUST policies, Preparing for promotion, Effective conduct of examinations and Preparing marking schemes.