The German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), at the weekend handed over an academic project to the Western University College at Tarkwa.

The objective of the project, started in 1995, was to assist the erstwhile Institute of Mining and Mineral Engineering to develop three Masters degree programmes - MSC in Mineral Engineering, MSC in Mining Engineering and MSC in Environmental Resource Management.

Prof. Peter J. Uebel, GTZ Adviser, who handed the project over, said the $10 million project was financed by the GTZ through the German Government. He said with the introduction of the modular system of teaching, the relationship between industry and the University had improved.

He said a counterpart programme was also undertaken to train lecturers and finance research projects outside Ghana as well as lecturers to attend international conferences.

Prof Uebel said under the project, laboratory equipment and computers were provided to improve practical teaching and to support consultancy activities of the University. Prof D. Mireku-Gyimah, Provost of the University, commended the GTZ for the projects, which he said, had raised the standard of the University.

He said the Masters degree programmes had been running successfully and were sustainable.