Cape Coast, Aug.17, GNA-A two-day International conference on educational access, quality and outcomes in Africa, opened at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Tuesday with a call on African universities to constantly influence policy both at the national and institutional levels.

Professor Dominic Kuupole, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the UCC, who made the call emphasized the need for tertiary institutions to impact on national development through quality research and pointed out that it formed the criteria for the ranking of universities.

The conference on the theme: "re-directing policy for achieving education for all in Africa", is aimed at disseminating outcomes of the organizations to policy makers, development partners and other stakeholders.

It is being attended by participants from Australia, Denmark, United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana.

He underscored the importance of research to quality teaching in an academic institution and added that it constitutes it core business and could enhance its survival, development as well as recognition adding, it should also ensure the development of individuals in institutions.

Professor Kuupole expressed concern that the UCC was going through a lot of challenges in terms of large classes with one lecturer handling about a 1,000 students and therefore called on the university to undertake quality research to enable it deliver.

The Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, said the UCC needed to compare notes, pick best practices and expertise from other institutions and also share experiences with them for mutual benefit.

She noted that their collaboration with other universities will help them strategize to manage large classes as it cannot reject the numbers and urged the participants to come out with innovative ways of dealing with the issue.

The Dean of the Faculty of Education of the UCC, Professor Joseph Ghartey-Ampiah, said research promotes quality teaching and therefore must go hand in hand.