Tamale, Sept. 3, GNA - The third Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), has been inducted into office (UDS), with a promise to develop the institution into a practically-oriented internationally recognised academic body of excellence and community development.

Professor Haruna Yakubu takes office after the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Professor George Benning and the late Prof John Kaburise.

Prof Kaku Sagary Nokoe served as Acting Vice-Chancellor when the late Prof Kaburise retired.

The UDS started in 1993 with an intake of 39 students and has since increased its intake to 5,400 students in 2005 and now has a student population of 16,000.

Prof Yakubu said he had among other things formulated strategies, which include; graduate training, academic programmes, quality teaching and learning environment, income generation and enhanced management and governance to achieve his vision for the university's development.

He said every good university thrived on quality teaching and research with their graduate programmes aimed at providing a strong research base.

The Vice- Chancellor said in this direction the UDS graduate school would be directed focus on an interdisciplinary research agenda.

"We would promote joint research projects with district assemblies and private industries to maximise the use of available expertise and also fulfil our mandate as a community-oriented university for development," Prof Yakubu said.

The Vice-Chancellor said the UDS would soon institute flexible graduate sandwich programmes to provide opportunities for graduate students who cannot enrol for fulltime studies.

He said to maintain quality, he intends to lead the university to re-examine and align its curriculum to fit into the new educational reforms while still holding on to the core belief of providing market-driven, community-oriented programmes at reduced cost.

Prof Yakubu enumerated some of the problems facing the UDS as inadequate classroom space, ill-equipped laboratories, poorly stocked libraries and internet services.

Dr Abdulai Salifu, Chairman of the UDS Council said after a long search, Prof Yakubu was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of the university out of 11 renowned scholars who applied for the position.

Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister, said district assemblies in the region had come together to raise funds in aid of some of the infrastructural developments of the university.