Professor John Frank Eshun, the Vice-Chancellor of the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) has announced that six new Master of Technology programmes have received accreditation. 'I am happy to announce that for this year, a total of six new MTech programmes received accreditation…the accredited MTech programmes are Innovation and Enterprise Development, Mechanical Engineering, Power Production Systems and Integration, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Mathematics and Statistics and Construction Engineering Management.' Professor Eshun at the 23rd Congregation of the University said accreditation and reaccreditation of programmes were key in ensuring that academic programmes run by TTU met the standards and quality of education set by the Regulator. According to him, it was also to enhance teaching and learning in a way that continuously improved graduates' employability in a globally competitive environment. In the 2022/2023 Academic Year, the University successfully turned out 6,166 graduates which r epresented a 30 per cent increase relative to last year's graduation. The year under review also saw 24 students with disabilities, comprising 20 hearing-impaired students and four others with physical disabilities graduating. The Vice-Chancellor used the opportunity to reaffirm the University's commitment to providing quality education, fostering strong industry partnerships, and empowering our graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in their respective fields. 'We pledge to continue our mission of academic excellence, research, innovation and community impact, to ensure that our graduates of today are well-prepared to make positive contributions to society and industry.' The University, the Vice Chancellor reported, had upgraded the Jubilee Field Technical Training Center as a Center of Excellence in Oil and Gas Engineering to train specialized experts for the petroleum sector, advance research, foster collaboration with industry, enhance global competitiveness and serve as an innovat ion hub for the sector. The University again led a crusade for research collaborations with other institutions, both local and abroad which led to an inflow of grants to develop the inter-faculty Research and Publication ranking system as a means of assessing, promoting, and enhancing the research culture and academic performance of different faculties within the university and nurture a commitment to scholarly excellence by academic staff. The construction of a four-storey ICT complex at the University was a major initiative aimed at providing state-of-the-art facilities to meet the evolving digitalization needs of the academic community. The Takoradi Technical University through the European Union-funded Twin Cities in Sustainable Partnership Project, TCSPP, was collaborating with the Maritime Institute of Palermo-Italy to establish a Maritime Training Centre. The Maritime Training Centre upon completion would provide professional maritime skills training and certification with the International Maritim e Organization's standards. The Vice-Chancellor advised the graduands to be good envoys of Takoradi Technical University, 'be good ambassadors of our cherished motto: adwen, akoma na nsa ma mount; and prove our hallmark of quality and excellence wherever you are.' Dr. Samuel Amo Tobin, the Council Chair of the University appealed to the Government, the Ministry of Education, and the Western Regional Coordinating Council to come to the aid of the University in the provision of infrastructure; lecture theatres laboratories, and workshops to help meet the ever-growing number of students in the University. Dr Yaw Adutwum, the Minister for Education whose speech was read on his behalf, said the government was committed to increasing Ghana's Gross Tertiary Education Ratio from the current 20 per cent to 40 per cent by 2030. 'The Ministry of Education will work with all stakeholders, including the Takoradi Technical University, to achieve this target.' He said, 'No Guarantor Students Loan Policy' had been launc hed to allow tertiary students in both public and private institutions to access and secure student loans by only providing their Ghana Card to ensure access to tertiary education. The Ministry of Education is committed to enabling all children to reach their full potential as valuable members of society by providing equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education and opportunities for lifelong learning. The government was also determined to provide adequate funding for Technical Universities, creating an environment that fostered relevance to both national and international development through retooling, innovative, high-quality teaching and learning that was driven by ICT and research. He assured the Takoradi Technical University that all projects commenced by the government would be completed at the right time. The Minister was impressed by the efforts made by the university management and staff to provide students with the best education possible. 'I am also pleased to see the university's commitmen t to research and its partnership with stakeholders both locally and internationally which is essential in providing students with the practical, hands-on experience they need to succeed in the workforce.' Source: Ghana News Agency