The Governing Council of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) has paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor William Otoo Ellis. The aim of the visit was to discuss issues of mutual interest to the University administration and the GhIS. It was also to hold discussions with the staff and students of the three departments which train students prior to their enrolment as professional members of the GhIS, namely, Geomatic Engineering, Building Technology and Real Estate/Land Economy.
During discussions with the Vice Chancellor, the President of the Institution of Surveyors James Ebenezer Kobina Dadson noted that the visit of the Governing Council was in keeping with the annual “ritual” of visiting KNUST in November. The visit was therefore to strengthen the existing relationship and explore ways of positioning the two bodies to address both current and future dynamics of the professional and academic aspects of surveying. He was hopeful the memorandum of understanding would deepen the relationship between the two bodies during the current Governing Council session.
Surveyor Dadson said in order to expand the frontiers of the Institution to bring on board allied practitioners, faculties are being created within the Institution for the purpose. The University would be relied upon to facilitate the running of appropriate modules and sandwich programmes for those groups prior to their qualification as members of the Institution.
He stated that the Institution had a high global recognition through strong collaborations with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (CASLE), International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC), Africa Association of Quantity Surveyors and the Africa Real Estate Society. Members of the Institution hold executive positions in these bodies.
He said both public and private surveying firms are committed to continuously provide structured on-the-job professional training to students on internship and advised students to take advantage of such an opportunity.
As part of their visit the team from GhIS presented two books authored by members of the Institution and the Institution’s Journal to KNUST and the VC received them on behalf of the University. The books are Rating Valuation Practice in Ghana by Surv. Emmanuel Laweh and Guide to Practice of Procedures in Public Procurement of Works by Surv. J.A Acquaye.
The VC expressed his gratitude to the team and thanked them for the yearly award they give to the best student during congregation. He suggested to GhIS to consider sponsoring students in the departments with innovative ideas in surveying to initiate what is popularly known as the “Incubator System”. This, he explained, was an initiative that implemented brilliant ideas and proposals from students by bringing them into partnership with experienced people to help sharpen those ideas and to bring them into fruition. Notably among such a system in KNUST was the M-Friday Group, an IT based group, which partnered with Vodafone to activate TechHub which trained students as ICT developers. He was optimistic that if the Incubator System was implemented it would enhance the building of the two Institutions.
Mr. Ben Andoh, Deputy Registrar for Human Resource Development of KNUST in his remarks also proposed that it would be ideal for the two institutions to work hand in hand in the academic upbringing of the students.
