Accra, Feb 11, GNA - The African University College of Communications (AUCC), formerly the African Institute of Journalism and Communications (AIJC), has been listed by a UNESCO study as one of nine potential Centres of Reference among journalism and communication training institutions in Africa.

Twelve other institutions, one third of which are located in South Africa, with the rest located in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique, Senegal, Cameroon and Morocco, were identified as potential Centres of Excellence.

Other potential Centres of Reference are located in Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Burkina Faso and Madagascar. According to the UNESCO report released on UNESCO website the centres of reference are schools that ''would use support well to improve their growth and sustainability to achieve a wider impact.'' Abdul Waheed Khan, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, said the UNESCO study was launched to assess existing journalism training institutions in Africa and to develop a strategy to build institutional excellence to offer quality training. The study, he adds, provides a unique set of indicators and criteria for measuring potential for institutional excellence that could be adapted for use in other parts of the world. The 2006-2007 study was conducted by UNESCO in collaboration with Rhodes University's School of Journalism and Media Studies and the Graduate School of Journalism in Lille, France. In all 96 training institutions were targeted to map Africa's journalism schools.

Commenting on the report the President and Founder of AUCC, Mr Kojo Yankah, attributed his institution's high rating to the dedication, foresight, vision and commitment to excellence of the Governing Council and Faculty.

"We set out to provide Ghana and Africa with modern and creative training in journalism and communication, and we will leave no stone unturned to achieve just that,' he said. The Dean of AUCC, Prof Linus Abraham, said: "This is only the beginning of our long journey to become the cutting edge of journalism and communication education in Africa'. The African University College of Communications has been accredited to offer degree courses in Journalism, Development Communication, Strategic Communication and Visual/Digital Communication in addition to its diploma course. The AUCC moves to its new city campus at Adabraka in Accra in March this year.