Plans are underway for the Clement Kubindiwo Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) and the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) to collaborate in the training of the future graduates of the university in research and public health.
The C.K Tedam-University of Technology and Applied Sciences, until recently was the University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, one of five campuses of the University for Development Studies, recently granted full autonomy and renamed C.K Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences by the government of Ghana.
Having attained full autonomy as a university, the CKT-UTAS is clothed with independence in its day to day operations and curriculum, hence the need to expand its faculties to include diverse areas of academia.
It was for these prospects that the Vice-Chancellor of the CKT-UTAS, Prof. Eric Magnus Wilmot met with the Director of the Navrongo Health Research Centre, Dr. Abraham Oduro, and some senior scientists of the Centre to explore existing areas for possible collaboration.
Explaining further the rationale for the visit, Prof Wilmot said the research center in Navrongo is famed for the type of research it conducts, which impacts the lives of Ghanaians, particularly those from the northern part of the country. He indicated that the C.K Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences was in the process of introducing practical courses in its curriculum that will address the developmental challenges of the North and Ghana as a whole. Prof. Wilmot revealed that due to the expertise and experience gained over the years in conducting field research in the northern part of the country, the Navrongo Health Research Centre has been earmarked as an appropriate institution for collaboration in expanding the teaching of field research and practice in the university. He indicated that further consultations will be made with authorities of the Centre and the Ministry of Health to cement the partnership between the two institutions going forward.
Responding to the issues raised by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Abraham Oduro informed Prof. Wilmot that the Navrongo Health Research Centre has a high calibre of staff that are trained in diverse areas, including; epidemiologists, geneticists, biostatisticians, and public health specialists, who are working on various research projects. Also, he said the Centre has a well equipped biomedical laboratory, a clinical trials centre, and other facilities to support teaching and learning at the highest level. He stated that the Centre has, in the past, been collaborating with the UDS, Navrongo Campus for accreditation to run courses in public health, and was therefore willing to deepen the collaboration with the CKT-UTAS to train the requisite manpower in public health research for the development of the country. Dr. Oduro further informed the Vice-Chancellor that some staff of the Centre has already been teaching some courses at the university pro bono and that when formalized, most of the research scientists at the Centre will have the opportunity to develop an additional career in academia.
At the end of the meeting, the two institutions agreed to constitute a joint committee to look into the details of the collaboration for implementation.
The Vice-Chancellor was accompanied by the Registrar of the university, Dr. Vincent Anum Ankamah-Lomotey, and the Dean of Students Dr. Isaac Sackey.
