Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - The United Kingdom Engineering Council has given the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT) a full accreditation to offer its engineering qualifications through City and Guilds of London, the body that runs the UK Engineering Council Examinations worldwide. The accreditation, the first to be given to a Ghanaian University, puts AIT at par with leading technological universities offering undergraduate and post-graduate engineering programmes, a statement issued by AIT said.

AIT, which is also called University of the Future, said Ghanaians could now run courses, register candidates and conduct the examinations on all the UK Engineering Council programmes. These include Engineering Council (EC) Engineering Certificate programmes (equivalent to 1st year of a British Bachelor in Engineering degree programme), Graduate Diploma (equivalent to British Bachelor in Engineering) and Post-Graduate Diploma (equivalent to a British Masters in Engineering).

"Ghanaians can now obtain at AIT an internationally recognised professional engineering qualification acceptable in any part of the world," the statement said.

The statement quoted Dr Philip Riseborough, Head of Higher Qualifications in charge of EC programmes, as saying the accreditation would enhance AIT's competitive advantage through providing its students with the opportunity locally to access the internationally recognised Chattered Engineer level qualifications.

It also quoted Prof. Clement Dzidonu, President of AIT, as saying the recognition fitted in with their programmes, which were practical oriented with emphasis on producing a professional engineer that could work and compete with their peers anywhere in the world. The UK Engineering Council is the UK registration authority for professional engineers working in partnership with 35 professional engineering institutions.