The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched its 70th Anniversary Celebrations on the theme: “KNUST: 70 Years of Global Impact; a New Age for a Renewed Focus”. The Chancellor, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II declared the celebrations open on 27th October 2021 at the Great Hall.
The launch was attended by diplomats, vice-chancellors from sister institutions, parliamentarians, KNUST Governing Council, CEOs of enterprises and telecommunication industries, managing directors of banks, traditional leaders, clergy, associations, KNUST Alumni, staff, and students of the University. The solemn ceremony presented a platform for the Institution to reflect on its history, assess its long-term successes, and highlight areas where additional effort is needed to address existing, developing, and future problems in carrying out the Institution's mandate.
In his address, the Chancellor, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, recalled that about seventy years ago, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of the Republic of Ghana, had the vision to establish a university dedicated to the advancement of science and technology not only for Ghana but for Africa and beyond.
"Today, this solitary vision has transformed large uncultivated and deserted plains into a world-class institution, allowing many people to benefit from a world-class university education", the Chancellor added.
As a result, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that the University's 70th Anniversary is an opportunity for the University to reflect on its achievements and seek new ways of influencing Ghana's and Africa's socio-economic growth to fulfil the founding fathers' objective. At the next stage of development, he called for collaboration and teamwork among all stakeholders.
The Chancellor challenged the University's leadership, as well as its faculty, staff, and students, to reflect on the anniversary's subject and propose new approaches to realise the University's goal and vision. With the onset of Covid-19 and its massive effect on education, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II urged scholars to expand their research efforts to help solve the pandemic's consequences and other challenges facing the country.
He urged them to build on the current engagement between the University and the surrounding communities as a means of 'bringing the gown-to-town' and fusing tradition with science and technology. ‘To expand the relationship between the University and Manhyia, I would like to create a Chair in Asante History at the Department of History and Political Studies,' Otumfuo Osei Tutu II stated.
The Chancellor and Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II seized the opportunity to cautioned encroachers of the University lands to desist from such acts.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, in her address, indicated that KNUST has birthed and nurtured two fully-fledged universities: The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR). The Institution continues to thrive in quality research and teaching, producing, and developing graduates and professionals, and fostering partnerships with stakeholders, communities and Asanteman.
Professor (Mrs.) Dickson stated that in addition to other campuses across the country, the University can boast of over 80,000 student population and state–of–the–art campuses. Speaking on health infrastructure, she added that the University hospital provides comprehensive healthcare not only for the University community but also for the nearly 400,000 residents of the townships around the University's enclave. She explained that the University hospital has been upgraded to accommodate an additional dental clinic with eight seats for training and dental services. According to the Vice-Chancellor, KNUST has established an Office of Grants and Research (OGR) and the KNUST Research Fund (KReF) with an initial seed fund of one million Ghana cedis (GH¢1,000,000.00) to support research as part of fulfilling the vision as a research-intensive Institution. KNUST has multiple Centres of Excellence and other research centres because of its research and grant-seeking initiatives.
The Minister of Education, Honourable Dr. Yaw Osei-Adutwum, congratulated the past and present Governing Councils of the University for their good work. According to him, KNUST has graduated the most talented people in Engineering, Science, Agriculture, and Healthcare sectors for the past twenty years. “KNUST is a source of national pride that reaches beyond Ghana’s borders, since it has produced highly skilled workers for Africa and the world”, he said.
The Minister intimated the increasing number of Senior High School (SHS) graduates have put a strain on the facilities and institutions of higher learning. Despite these challenges, KNUST has admitted the highest number of graduates in recent years, he noted. He, therefore, promised to use his Office to continue to support the University with adequate staffing to provide quality education.
