The College of Arts and Built Environment (CABE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), will from August this year, commence new post-graduate programmes to advance knowledge in the fields of art, design and the built environment.

The programmes are, PhD Textile and Fashion Design Technology, MPhil Textile Design Technology, MPhil Fashion Design Technology, MSc/MPhil Planning Monitoring and Evaluation and MSc/MPhil in Creative Art Therapy.

Professor Joshua Ayarkwa, Provost of the College, who announced this said, four other programmes were waiting for approval from the School of Graduate Studies, would also commence in August.

These programmes are; MLA Landscape Architecture, MPhil Disaster Prevention and Management, PhD Disaster Prevention and Management and PhD Visual Communication Design.

Speaking at the graduation of students at the College, as part of the 53rd congregation of KNUST in Kumasi, Professor Ayarkwa, said the aim was also to help enhance research, promote quality teaching, entrepreneurship training and community engagement of its graduates to improve the quality of life of the people.

It is also to help bridge the rising unemployment gap, he said.

“We in academia as stakeholders of the country’s education and its institutions are deeply disturbed by the escalating unemployment problem in Ghana and so our College has structured its programmes to equip students to meet the challenges of industry and address the issues of unemployment,” he stated.

The College presented a total of 842 undergraduate and 78 postgraduate students.

Out of the number, 111 students graduated with first class, constituting 13.2 per cent, while 542 had second class upper.

The Provost indicated that the College had forged new institutional partnerships with both the local and international institutions to promote teaching and research activities of academic staff and students.

He said following the signing of an MOU between the University and T-TEL, the Faculty of Educational Studies, was receiving financial assistance to support the implementation of the new Bachelor of Education Curriculum.

The Department of Communication Design had also teamed up with the British Council to organize jobs for the youth programme to help assist graduates identify job opportunities.