Kumasi, Feb 15, GNA- A collaborative Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) programme aimed at affording students and lecturers of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) the opportunity to have access to Internet service from any location on campus for research and recreational purposes has been launched in Kumasi.

The programme dubbed "KNUST e-Campus Network," constitutes the first phase of a comprehensive project aimed at integrating all educational institutions in the country into the global ICT network with KNUST as the hub.

The project is being undertaken by the KNUST in collaboration with the Universal Telephone Exchange Ghana Limited and Engineering Systems and Services Limited.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, said the programme initiated in 2004, was expected to ensure that the University benefited from a state-of-the-art wireless Internet facility comparable to what was available anywhere in the world.

This, he said was to enhance the academic performance of students enrolled at the university with its attendant international ramifications.

He expressed hope that the current range of services provided under the KNUST e-campus project would be complemented with distance learning with the long-term objective of leaping the University onto the frontiers of educational excellence.

Prof. Adarkwa indicated that the e-campus network would eventually be interlinked with similar networks in Ghana, and beyond to enable members of the university community share resources with other educational institutions and thereby create a seamless environment for education and research.

Dr Ben Adu, Chief Executive Officer of Engineering Systems and Services Limited, congratulated authorities of KNUST and other supporting agencies for the joint effort in making the execution of the e-campus network project possible.

He expressed optimism that the e-campus network would provide the ICT infrastructure that could help create a new educational environment and learning experience in Ghana.

Dr Adu said the network was being engineered to facilitate communication services such as digital voice telephony and video conferencing, stressing that it would also employ the latest advances in communications and information technology to bring broadband communication services to all students no matter which campus they may be. 15 Feb. 05