The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Domwini Dabire Kuupole has cut the sod and planted a commemorative tree to commence the construction of the long awaited graduate school complex for the university.

The project to be funded from GetFund under the Ministry of Education would provide a conducive environment for teaching, learning and research; and increase physical visibility of graduate education in the university.

The three storey building complex which is being sited opposite the College of Distance Education (CoDE) new site is expected to be completed in 24 months.

It will comprise a graduate resource centre, ten seminar halls, 15 offices for teaching and non-teaching staff, two small halls, a large lecture hall, offices of the Dean and Vice Dean as well as the Registrar, a conference hall and a board room.

Prof Kuupole said the School of Graduate Studies since its inception in the late 1980’s has never had a permanent building as it started from one office space of four rooms that was later taken over by the College of Education Studies.

He said the School was allowed to occupy a three room office space at the university’s main administration for over a decade and needed a permanent structure.

The building complex when completed would allow for innovation and better management of graduate programmes as graduate work was the hallmark of every university.

The graduate school of the university has over the years demonstrated through its core activities of teaching, research and community engagement that it possessed unique qualities for the pursuit of high quality postgraduate education delivery in the country.

Currently, the school runs 259 graduate programmes with total student enrolment of 4,599 representing 8 per cent of the university’s total enrolment and was likely to reach 15 per cent of the total enrolment of the university by 2020.

Prof Kuupole expressed the university’s profound gratitude to the Government and commended the Dean as well as the Board Members of the School for the initiative and support.

Professor Ernest Laryea Okorley, Dean of Graduate Studies, said a permanent complex for the graduate school was long overdue saying the project when completed would create an enabling environment for meaningful academic work.

Mr Odame Mensah, President of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) UCC chapter, expressed gratitude to management for working around the clock to get the work done saying when completed, it would be of immense benefit to all graduate students

The contractor, Emmanuel Ekow Baidoo from Casilda Properties LTD, promised to complete the project and hand over to the university authorities as scheduled.