17
public expectation for the
University to do more and
more with very limited
resources. To address these
challenges, the University
of Ghana received funding
from the Carnegie
Corporation of New York
under its Next generation
of African Academics
programme to implement a series of activities that will
improve research delivery and post-graduate training. The
Corporation has provided the UG with a total of Four Million,
One Hundred and Fifty thousand US dollars ($ 4,150,000)
for the project which is to implemented in two phases from
2010-2015 and is led by Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu.
Faculty Development
Supporting faculty training has been one of the major
priorities of this project because the UG believes that a
PhD. (or other terminal degree) is the starting point in
terms of developing the ability of its faculty to pursue high
quality research in their chosen fields. The support targets
faculty who already are on PhD. programmes and need
relatively small amounts of financial aid to complete their
thesis research, as well as
younger faculty who do not
hold PhDs. Through the
project, a number of rising
stars have been identified
who are absolutely world
class material including
Dr. Prince Koree Osei who
graduated in 2012 and was
the first to earn a PhD in
Mathematics from the University of Ghana. In addition to
supporting faculty who are PhD. candidates, the UG-NGAA
also proactively searches for and supports young, bright and
uniquely talented MPhil. students- our next generation of
academics. Thirty-seven (37) MPhil candidates have received
grants ranging from $2000-$4000 to support their thesis
research in the first phase of the project and all completed
their theses on time.
Promoting a research culture among UG faculty
One of the major problems that hamper the ability of UG
faculty to publish is simply finding the time to work on
manuscripts. The project introduced “Write shops”, held
off-campus in a quiet setting away from campus, where
participants focus on writing journal articles. Senior faculty
volunteer as resource persons to provide mentoring and
support on language, data analysis and interpretation. At
least twenty (20) faculty members have participated in the
write-shops which have proved to be very successful.
The project also initiated the creation of a database of
publications by UG faculty in peer reviewed journals which
is accessible on the UG website (
publications). This database has not only helped to enhance
UG’s profile, but also created a very positive peer pressure
among UG faculty that should result in increased research
output.
Enhancing the quality of post-graduate products
from University of Ghana
The project has supported the improvement of post-graduate
training by providing facilities, targeted skills and knowledge
enhancement training workshops for post-graduate students,
and through the establishment of the UG Diaspora Linkage
programme that brings professors from the Diaspora to
support post-graduate teaching and supervision. As many as
555 post-graduate students in both the humanities and the
sciences received knowledge and skills enhancement training
during the first phase of the project, while five academic
units received various equipment, including computers,
printers and LCD projectors, as well as funds to refurbish
and/or furnish post-graduate seminar rooms, laboratories
and museums.
Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu
Dr. Prince Koree Osei
Prof. Helen Yitah interacting with a PhD student at aWrite-Shop.
