Fifty-one (51) postgraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi have been awarded grants under the KNUST Chapter of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG-KNUST) Research Fund (GReF) to support their research activities. The awards ceremony was held on Thursday, 18th July 2024 at the KNUST Business School Postgraduate Block D Auditorium.
The beneficiaries comprised forty-five (45) master’s and six (6) doctoral students.
According to the President of GRASAG-KNUST, Mr. Felix Kofi Adusei, the GRASAG Research Fund (GReF) was established with the primary aim of enhancing research endeavours among graduate students. He said that at the core of the fund were two initiatives: the GRASAG Research Support Hub and the GRASAG Research Support Grant which extends beyond financial assistance but also offer mentorship and technical guidance to aspiring researchers.
“The first-ever GRASAG Research Hub, anchored within the GRASAG Research Fund, is now a reality. A dedicated space for graduate students to access expert assistance on their research journeys has been established. The call for research fellows to provide expert assistance has been met with enthusiasm, and soon, these fellows will be offering consultations, thesis writing support, and guidance on statistical and data analysis software usage inspired by GReF,” said Mr. Adusei.
Mr. Adusei expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo for his invaluable support in establishing the GReF with a seed donation of Ten Thousand United States Dollars ($10,000.00) during the launch of the GReF. He also extended his appreciation to the Provosts of the six Colleges of the University for offering office spaces for the creation of the research hubs to expand reach and impact.
The Director of the Office of Grants and Research (OGR) of KNUST, Professor Philip Antwi-Agyei, emphasised the need for ample time in the awards’ selection processes, including the stages of advertisement, review of applications, and the shortlisting and selection of awardees. He stressed that a thorough and transparent process is essential for maintaining the integrity and fairness of any academic and professional awards. He also proposed proposal writing workshops to address deficiencies in writing skills among MPhil and PhD students for quality research outputs.
The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, charged the awardees to use the funds prudently, encouraging them to make the most of the opportunity to advance their research outputs and contribute significantly to their respective fields. She assured of Management’s financial support towards the GReF to enable students conduct groundbreaking research works to solve problems facing humanity.
