The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) on Saturday matriculated 560 students for the 2013/2014 academic year at an impressive ceremony in Sunyani.

The number represented 61 per cent of 909 applicants received by the University and out of that, 80 are females which is representing 14 per cent.

This marked the commencement of second academic year in the life of the institution since it was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 830 on December 31, 2011.

Professor Mrs Esi Awuah, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said the statistics reflected an increase of approximately 280 per cent over the last year figure of 154, adding that was a significant jump for a university which was barely two years old.

The Vice-Chancellor said the University could not admit more because of insufficient space, inadequate lecture theatres and laboratories to contain any number beyond what it did.

She appealed to government and the private sector to partner the University in providing adequate facilities and infrastructure to enhance access and quality.

Prof Mrs Awuah advised the fresh students to study diligently and abide by the University’s rules and regulations stressing that their continuous stay in the institution would depend on the extent to which they adhered to the tenets of the matriculation oath they had sworn.

The Vice-Chancellor said the University was uniquely placed to produce highly trained manpower to solve the critical energy and natural resources needs of the country and beyond, saying their academic programmes were specifically tailored to meet such goals.

Prof Mrs Awuah said a unique feature of their programmes was the hands-on experiences that are made available to their students.

The University in the first year introduced Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Energy Engineering, B.Sc. Natural Resource Management and B.Sc. Wild Life and Range Management, she said.

The Vice-Chancellor said for the 2013/2014 academic year, five more programmes comprising B.Sc. Electrical and Electronic Engineering and B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering had also been introduced.

The others were B.Sc. Environmental Engineering, B.Sc. Computer Science and B.Sc. Mathematics, in addition to the introduction of French as a working language to give their students a strong competitive advantage in the global market, she said.

Prof Mrs Awuah expressed optimism that with the training being offered at the University the students are expected to be more entrepreneurial, practical oriented, innovative and analytical in the world of work.