University of Ghana


The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It is the oldest public university in the country.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the British colony of the Gold Coast. It was originally an affiliate college of the University of London, which supervised its academic programs and awarded degrees. After Ghana gained independence in 1957, the college was renamed the University College of Ghana. It changed it name again to the University of Ghana in 1961, when it gained full university status.
The University of Ghana is situated on the west side of the Accra Legon Hills and northeast of the center of Accra. It has over 60,000 registered students.

Introduction

The original emphasis on establishing the University of Ghana was on the Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Law, Basic Science, Agriculture, and Medicine. However, as part of a national educational reform program, the university's curriculum was expanded to provide more Technology-based and Vocational courses as well as Postgraduate Training.
The University of Ghana, which is mainly based in Legon, about 12 kilometers northeast of the center of Accra, has its Medical School and Dental School in Korle-Bu a suburb of Accra, with a Teaching Hospital and the Accra city Campus. It also has a at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few Universities in Africa offering programs in Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Engineering.

The University of Ghana logo

The logo is made up of two colors: indigo and camel. The blue shield with three "AYA" standing upright in the top half and "DWENINMENTOASO" in the middle of the bottom half, all embossed in gold. The logo was designed by A. M. Opoku. "AYA" is an Adinkra symbol. The "AYA" grows straight and it is used to represent truthfulness and an ability to stay upright.
Ram's Horns: "Dweninmen" is an Adinkra symbol. Here, two interlocking ram's horns have been used to symbolise strength and a call to pursue a path of integrity. The University of Ghana was granted degree-awarding status in 1961.

History

The formation of the West African Commission of the Asquith Commission on Higher Education in the Colonies under the chairmanship of Rt. Hon. Walter Elliot was the birth of this institution in 1948. The commission recommended the setting up of university colleges in association with the University of London, thus the University College of the Gold Coast was founded by Ordinance on 11 August 1948 for the purpose of providing for and promoting university education, learning and research. The people of Gold Coast rejected the recommendation that a single university college be established for the entire British West Africa region, with the college located in Nigeria. This rejection made it possible for the University of Ghana to be established.
In the book commissioned by the University of Ghana, Professor Francis Agbodeka found that "Two members of the Legislative Council on their own volition worked on the question of securing funds for the project. More significant, F. M. Bourret, in almost a contemporaneous account, reported that the strong and united opinion expressed by Dr. Nanka-Bruce in a Radio Station Zoy address to the People of the Gold Coast in October 1947, "was largely instrumental in influencing the Secretary of State for the colonies" to finally give his consent in 1947, "for the establishment of a Gold Coast University College."
Significantly, the establishment of the University of Ghana, based on the Elliot Commission's Majority Report, was the culmination of immense work of several organizations, committees, institutions, and prominent individuals, at home and abroad. Among some of the most prominent Ghanaians, members of organizations and civil society groups that campaigned for the establishment of the University of College of the Gold Coast/Ghana, included also Dr. Nanka-Bruce, Rev. Prof. C. G. Baeta, and Sir E. Asafu-Adjaye, Dr. J. B. and Danquah.
In 1961 the Government of Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah passed the University of Ghana Act, 1961 to replace the University College of Ghana. Through that act, the university attained sovereign university status and mandate to award its own degrees.

Office of the Chancellor

is the current Chancellor of the university. She was elected as Chancellor and subsequently inducted into office on Wednesday, 1 August 2018, at a Special Congregation of the university held in the Great Hall. After serving her first 5-year tenure, she was reappointed on 6 July 2023, to serve a second spell as the Chancellor of the University.

Past Chancellors of the University

Until the year 1998, the Head of State acted as Chancellor of the University of Ghana. In 1961 when the University of Ghana was established by an Act of Parliament, the first Head of State of independent Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became the first Chancellor of the University.
The following have held the position of Chancellor of the university:
is the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. In July 2021, she was appointed as the Acting Vice Chancellor. In October 2021, she was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. Her appointment took effect from 26 October 2021. She became the first woman to occupy the position of Vice-Chancellor in the University.

Past vice-chancellors and principals

The following have held the position of vice-chancellors and principals of the university:
University College of the Gold Coast
University College of Ghana
  • David Mowbray Balme, Principal
  • Raymond Henry Stoughton, Principal
University of Ghana
  • Conor Cruise O'Brien, Vice-Chancellor
  • Alexander Kwapong, Vice-Chancellor
  • Daniel Adzei Bekoe, Vice-Chancellor
  • Akilagpa Sawyerr, Vice-Chancellor
  • George Benneh, Vice-Chancellor
  • Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor
  • Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Vice-Chancellor
  • Clifford Nii-Boi Tagoe, Vice-Chancellor
  • Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor
  • Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice-Chancellor
  • Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor

    Academics

The Balme Library

The Balme Library was established in 1948 as the Achimota College Library. It is the main library of the university's library network.
The Balme library is located on the main campus of the university.

College of Health Sciences

There are six Schools and one Research Institute under this college. They include:
College of Basic and Applied Sciences
There are five Schools, six Centres and two Institutes under this college. They include:
From the 2014/2015 academic year, the University of Ghana adopted the collegiate system and thus categorised all schools and departments under four colleges, which are:
  • College of Basic and Applied Sciences
  • College of Humanities
  • College of Education
  • College of Health Sciences

    Other faculties

There are five faculties outside the above Colleges and they include:
  • Faculty of Arts
  • Faculty of Social Studies
  • Faculty of Science
  • Faculty of Law: first established as a department of the Faculty of Social Studies in the 1958/59 academic year, became a full-fledged faculty in the 1960/61 academic year.
  • Faculty of Engineering Sciences

    International Programmes Office

The University of Ghana's International Programmes Office was established in 1997 to harmonize the university's international efforts. It promotes all international activities, including admission of international students, Memorandums of Understanding between the University and International educational institutions, visiting scholars, study abroad programmes, staff and student exchange programmes and research collaboration. The university has over 200 agreements with educational institutions all over the world, and works with organizations such as the Council on International Educational Exchange, California State University, University of California Education Abroad Program, and International Society of Education Planners International Student Exchange Programs to facilitate student exchange programmes.

University of Ghana campuses

Legon campus

The Legon campus lies about 13 kilometers north-east of Accra, the capital of Ghana. This is where most of the university's teaching and research are carried out. The Legon campus also houses the central administration of the university. there are a number of student residences located on the Legon campus.

Korle-Bu Campus

The Korle-Bu campus, headed by a provost, houses the administration of the College of Health Sciences. Some of the constituent schools are also located on the Korle-Bu Campus; the School of Medicine and Dentistry and the School of Allied Health Sciences.