The Bolgatanga Technical University in the Upper East Region has inaugurated an eight-member strategic development planning committee to develop a 10-year long term strategic framework and policy document for the University.

The strategic plan would act as a transformational working document of the University, which would seek to identify the challenges of the institution and chat innovative and practical ways to address them for accelerated growth that meets the needs of societal problems.

It would also provide guidance and direction to the University for creative interventions to be implemented towards achieving a vision of meeting international standard and producing problems solving oriented graduates.

The members of the committee include Professor Theophilus Azungah, Dean of School of Business and Management Studies, Professor Daniel Oppong Sekyere, Dean of School of Applied Sciences and Arts, Dr Edward Naabil, Dean of School of Engineering and Dr John Bosco Azigwe, Acting Director, Quality Assurance.

The rest are Mr Richard A. Atia, Deputy Registrar, Mr Sebastian Ayaaba, Director of Information and Communication Technology, Mr Clement Onmeba, Assistant Registrar and Mr Tom Mboya Asigri, Acting Director of Works and Physical Planning.

At a short inauguration ceremony, Professor Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, the Vice Chancellor of the University explained that the institution was recently converted from a Polytechnic into a Technical University and needed a policy direction to address key challenges to catch up with other Universities.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that although the University was a young institution, it was the vision and commitment of its management to as a matter of urgency, develop it into a globally recognized institution that produces graduates for the job industry.

“We do not want to be looked down again as a young institution, at least, after 10 years, we want to be meeting international standards of best practices and rubbing shoulders with some of the international institutions and so the growth must be very fast and the policy document would give us a sense of direction,” he said.

Professor Alnaa indicated that the Committee would work to identify and propose transformation measures to address the infrastructure, human resource development, financing as well as quality research and tuition challenges confronting the university that would propel accelerated development.

“Here, we are giving hands on training to be able to meet industrial needs and so we are envisaging that in the nearest future, our graduates would be the preferred choice in the field of work and also be a University where graduates from the traditional universities will come for practical training,” he added.

The Vice Chancellor disclosed that since its conversion into a Technical University, enrollment had increased from 574 students admitted in 2019 to 757 students admitted in 2020 and expressed optimism that the policy document would lead to the implementation of attractive programmes that would increase enrollment and Internally Generated Funds through innovative revenue mobilization.

Professor Paul B. Tanzubil, the former Rector of the University, said the development of the institution required individual and collective efforts and urged members of the Committee to work together to create an innovative document to make the institution a model one for learning.

Professor Azungah, who is the Chairperson of the Committee on behalf of the other members expressed gratitude to the board and management of the University for the confidence reposed in them and indicated their commitment to producing a quality plan for the fast growth of the University.

He appealed to all stakeholders to give the Committee maximum cooperation and assistance to succeed.