University of Ghana

University of Ghana

Arms of the University of Ghana
Motto Integri Procedamus[1]
Type Public
Established 1948
Chairman Justice Date-Baah
Chancellor Kofi Annan[2]
Vice-Chancellor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu[3]
Students 38,000
Address University of Ghana
P.O. Box LG 25
Legon, Ghana, Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
05°39′03″N 00°11′13″W / 5.65083°N 0.18694°W / 5.65083; -0.18694
Campus Suburban area
Colours Midnight Blue, Lemon Yellow and Vegas Gold
            
Nickname Legon
Affiliations See below
Website www.ug.edu.gh

The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It was founded in 1948,[4] in the then British colony of the Gold Coast, as the University College of the Gold Coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London,[5] which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees. It gained full university status in 1961,[5] and now has nearly 40,000 students.

The original emphasis was on the liberal arts, social sciences, law, basic science, agriculture, and medicine, but (partly as the result of a national educational reform programme) the curriculum was expanded to provide more technology-based and vocational courses and postgraduate training.

The university is mainly based at Legon, about 12 kilometres northeast of the centre of Accra. The medical school is in Korle Bu, with a teaching hospital and secondary campus in the city of Accra. It also has a graduate school of nuclear and allied sciences at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few universities on the Africa continent offering programmes in nuclear physics and nuclear engineering.

History

The formation of the West African Commission of the Asquith Commission on Higher Education in the Colonies[6] under the chairmanship of Rt. Hon. Walter Elliot was the birth of this notable 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. This was made possible by the rejection of the first recommendation which stated that only one university college was feasible for the whole of British West Africa, which would be located in Nigeria by the people of Gold Coast led by the scholar and politician, the late Dr. J. B. Danquah.

The Balme Library

Main entrance to the Balme Library

The library is located on the main campus of the University.

College of Health Sciences

There are four faculties, one school and one research institute under this college.[7]

Collegiate system

Starting from the 2014/2015 academic year, the University of Ghana adopted the collegiate system[8] and thus categorised all schools and departments under four colleges, which are:

Other faculties

There are six faculties outside the above colleges.

Department of Economics of University of Ghana

Research and learning centres

Kade Agricultural Research Station

Kade Agricultural Research Centre

Kade Agricultural Research Station, or Kade Agricultural Research Centre, is an agricultural research centre located at Kade, in the Eastern Region of Ghana is part of the University of Ghana Centres of Research and Learning.[9] It is one of the three agricultural research centres of Ghana's university. The centre at Kade was established in 1957. It covers an area of 99.3 hectares and is mainly concerned with research into production of forest zone crops such as citrus, plantain, cocoyam, oil palm and rubber, with a special interest in agronomy of perennial crop plants.

In the arts

The university has appeared in several films and television advertisements. The television series Sun City has a lot of scenes of the university. The name of the university has also been referenced in the lyrics of artists in Ghana, including Sarkodie's "Legon Girls", Buk Bak's "Klu blofo", Kwadei's "Wutatami" and Okordii's "Four years in Legon".[10]

Workers' colleges

The university has these facilities in the various regions where it runs a variety of programmes, including degree courses.[11] Awudome College has residential facilities that enable short courses over weekends and other durations to be run there.

Halls of residence

The university has eight newly created halls of residence that were commissioned in 2011. They are:

Hostels

There are ten university hostels: the International Students' Hostels (I and II), the Valco Trust Hostel, The Commonwealth Hall, The Akuafo Hall, The Mensah Sarbah Hall, The Legon Hall, The Limann Hall, The Kwapong Hall, The Elizabeth Sey Hall and the Jean Aka Nelson hall. There are also private hostels, SSNIT Hostels (Ghana Hostels also known as Pentagon).[15]

Bank, postal and other services

Ghana Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Bank, Cal Bank, HFC Bank and Ecobank Ghana have branches on the Legon campus. There is a branch of the national postal service (Ghana Post) on campus. Other banks have ATMs on campus.

Roads usage and user charges

From 1 February 2014, all vehicles entering the University of Ghana's main campus, and also those using the road passing through the Staff Village of the University were required to pay charges. This was heavily criticized by public and students and has been suspended.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Visitors>Overview". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "Kofi Annan appointed Chancellor of University of Ghana". General News of Wednesday, 30 July 2008. Ghana Home Page. Archived from the original on 5 August 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
  3. ↑ "University of Ghana gets new Vice Chancellor; Prof. Ebenezer Owusu" Archived 19 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine., Joy Online, 8 January 2016.
  4. ↑ Kwabena Dei Ofori-Attah. "Expansion of Higher Education in Ghana: Moving Beyond Tradition". Comparative & International Education Newsletter: Number 142. CIES, Florida International University. Archived from the original on 4 October 2006. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
  5. 1 2 G. F. Daniel (17 April 1998). "THE UNIVERSITIES IN GHANA". Development of University Education in Ghana. University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 19 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
  6. ↑ "Establishment of The University" Archived 6 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine., University of Ghana.
  7. ↑ "Official Site of the College of Health Sciences". University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  8. ↑ "University Of Ghana Adopts Collegiate System From 2014/2015 Academic Year" Archived 6 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine., University of Ghana, 16 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Research Centers". University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "University of Ghana". General-books.net. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-22.
  11. ↑ "About Us: Profile of the University". University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
  12. ↑ "Legon Damns Coup Makers". Chronicle. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
  13. ↑ University of Ghana, Upcoming Events. "Inauguration Ceremony: Students Residential Facilities". University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  14. ↑ vibeghana.com/2013/.../teachers-fund-hostel-outdoored-with-new-name
  15. ↑ "Halls of Residence/Hostels". University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013.
  16. ↑ "Notable Alumni". University of Ghana Alumni Association. Retrieved 22 January 2015.

Coordinates: 05°39′03″N 00°11′13″W / 5.65083°N 0.18694°W / 5.65083; -0.18694

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