The University Of Cape Coast (UCC) is seeking to introduce more flexibility in programme choices and modes of delivery through the implementation of Joint and Dual Degree programmes to keep up with international best practice.

This, according to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ghartey Ampiah was necessary to meet the increasing demand of employers for employee versatility and to contribute significantly to national human resource growth for a sustained national development.

He said postgraduate enrolment was shifting from the regular mode to sandwich and distance and as such, the university needed to re-position itself to meet the shift in demand for graduate education.

The Vice Chancellor announced this at the sixth session of the 50th congregation of UCC during which 1,307 students who pursued various post-graduate programmes for the 2016/2017 academic year graduated.

They included 16, PhD,72 MPhil, 12 Matser of Nursing (MN) and 154 MCom/MBA, 176 MSc, 534 MEd, 307 MA as well as Post-Graduate Diploma and Post Graduate Certificates in various disciplines including nursing.

Prof Ghartey Ampiah said the university was also committed to intensifying its monitoring role of affiliate institutions through regular working visits in order to enhance standardisation and more learner-friendly delivery of graduate education.

He said graduate education continued to be the focus of UCC and that all efforts would be made to churn out graduate students with strong ethics and commitment to society.

He said UCC School of Graduate Studies (SGS) had over the years sought to ensure the relevance of graduate programmes to socio-economic and technological development of the country and the sub-Region.
Prof Ghartey Ampiah said UCC would continue to chart innovative paths in responding to national needs through effective teaching, research and community engagement.

He called on government and other corporate institutions to expedite action on completing on-going infrastructural projects including; the graduate school office complex, which had stalled as a result of severe financial challenges, to help accelerate its physical visibility.

The Chancellor, Dr Sam Esson Jonah said the importance of graduate studies to national development could not be over-emphasised as its academic research activities provided crucial support for the national innovation system.

He commended UCC graduate school for effective coordination and fostering conducive environment for critical, curious, creative and courageous graduates who were contributing in diverse ways to the development of the country.