Source: Ben LARYEA
Accra Technical University (ATU) has launched its strategic plan for the year 2021 – 2025 developed to consolidate the strides made for the past years and address the emerging challenges and opportunities confronting the University in a digital driven world.
The strategic plan spells out the mandate, vision, mission as well as the eight strategic pillars and the pragmatic measures put in place within the next five years to achieve the said goals and initiatives.
Speaking on the theme, “Strategically Positioning ATU as a Top Technical University in Ghana with a Strong Regional influence”, the Vice-Chancellor of ATU, Prof. Samuel Nii Odai said as a result of the current global demands the University was challenged to developed a new strategic plan to define its ambitions and directions towards a profit oriented institution of teaching and learning.
He said the document will help identify the needs of staff, students and stakeholders and to scale up infrastructure development and methods which will support students to embrace the opportunities in the World of Works (WoWs).
According to him, the University have rolled out the targeting eight thematic areas which are significance to accelerating the University into the future in areas such as enhancing students experience, impact-oriented research and innovation industry and community engagement, internationalisation, and visibility of the University infrastructure particularly Mpehuasem campus, mobilisation of funds internally and staff welfare.
“The University is set to fulfilled its ambitious document since the future is quiet promising”, he said, adding that with the effective collaboration of relevant stakeholders, management will achieve its ambitions.
He however expressed his gratitude to all players who in diverse ways contributed immensely to the successful completion of the strategic plan and commended the Governing Council of the University for their tireless efforts during the drafting of the document.
Launching the ATU strategic plan, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum in a speech read on his behalf said the document is a blueprint for real transformation and urged other technical universities in the country to emulate the working document of the university and thus called on others to fast the implementation of similar strategic plans to enhance teaching and learning.
He again urged the management ATU to prioritise skills development particularly TVET and invest in research, ICT and scale up the faculties of STEM education and explained that it opens up for students to catch up with the new trends and the changing dynamics of a technology driven world.
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Databank, Mr. Kojo Addae Mensah urged the University to find innovative ways to raise its Internal Generated Funds (IGF) and not to rely too much on government budgetary allocation and advised management to collaborate with the private sector saying such cooperation will help address the needed resources and facilities of the University.
Mr. Kojo Mensah called on the authorities of the University to build the capacity of staff through periodic training to enable them be abreast with the new innovation and concepts in teaching and learning.
In a related development, the occasion was used to launch the second in the series of summer school as awards were given to past Council Chairmen, Rectors and Principals in recognition of their respective contributions in shaping and enhancing teaching and learning in the University.
