Management cuts sod for the Construction of Graduate School Building

Management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has cut sod at the Faculty enclave in North Campus for the construction of a purpose-built structure for the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).   

The construction of the Graduate School Complex is part of conscious efforts by the Management of UEW to strengthen and expand graduate studies, mentoring of graduate students in research and output and generally provide a conducive environment for both staff and students by upgrading infrastructure and resources to international standards.

Architectural drawings of the Graduate School Complex

The Graduate School Complex would be the focal point for all businesses related to graduate studies. This would ensure that all activities, facilities and services of graduate studies are properly synchronized and coordinated at a designated enclave for ease of access and doing business with the School of Graduate Studies.  

The sod cutting took place on Monday, 12th July 2021, after UEW Management signed a commencement agreement at the Council Chamber of the University with C-DECK Limited, the construction firm that won the bid to undertake the project.

Vice-Chancellor, UEW at the signing of the commencement agreement with C-DECK Limited

Speaking at the signing of the commencement agreement, the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, averred that it was a real turning point to concretise plans to construct a visible infrastructure dedicated to promoting postgraduate studies. He explained that on the higher education landscape universities are defined by postgraduate rather than undergraduate studies. 

“In other words, what makes a university is the postgraduate schools and the professors. So, whenever a university moves to the level where it can visibly demonstrate that they value and that they have what it takes to set up that aspect of the life of the University to strengthen graduate studies, research and output, it is great news for the University,” he said. 

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andy Ofori-Birikorang, accentuating the point made by his Vice-Chancellor, said that higher educational institutions of today are more defined by the graduate research and therefore, an institution that prides itself as a university should take graduate school as a very serious aspect of its activities. 

“In fact, some universities are moving away from undergraduate programmes to concentrate solely on graduate research because that is what defines higher education by way of research and by way of training. They are leaving other smaller institutions to concentrate on undergraduate studies,” he pointed out. 

Prof. Ofori-Birikorang reiterates that the construction of the complex is the beginning of greater things in graduate research in UEW

Prof. Ofori-Birikorang revealed that UEW, over the last decade or so, had taken graduate education more seriously and increased its graduate programmes from marginal levels to almost all undergraduate programmes on campus having some corresponding graduate programmes including programmes at the PhD level. 

“We are grateful that the time has come for us to demonstrate the seriousness we attach to graduate school and going forward, I know that it will be something that we all shall be proud of. But more importantly, we want the Graduate School to see it as the beginning of greater things in graduate research and that one day we can all look back and point to that as being some of the things this administration did to allow the University to rise to a higher level,” the Pro-Vice-Chancellor stated.   

Director, Works and Physical Development, UEW, Arc. Grace Oppong-Peprah

The Director, Works and Physical Development, UEW, Arc. Grace Oppong-Peprah expressed gratitude to Management for offering her office an opportunity to produce the designs for the edifice. “It is one of the vital infrastructure that is going to add onto what UEW has to tell the whole world about postgraduate studies. I just want to also commend the contractor for winning this contract and to remind him that we have very high expectations of him in delivering a high-quality project,” she stated.

The Managing Director of C-DECK, Mr. Daniel Amenyedu, assured the Management of UEW of his outfit’s preparedness to work hand-in-hand with the Development Office of the University to put up an excellent edifice.  

Mr. Daniel Amenyedu, assures the Management of UEW that his outfit would do an excellent job

“One of our hallmarks is quality and we have demonstrated that on this campus. I want to assure Management that we just had a look at the drawings of the School of Graduate Studies Complex. In fact, it is a very beautiful edifice and we want to assure Management this morning that we will come up with an even more impressive building within the period that is allotted for the project,” he pledged.  

The Vice-Dean, SGS, Prof. Charles K. Assuah expressed gratitude to Management for redeeming the pledge of ensuring that the School of Graduate Studies is strengthened to expand the frontiers of graduate studies and research.   

Vice-Dean, SGS, Prof. Charles K. Assuah

The four-storey complex which is designed to be energy efficient and to also cater for people with special needs generally provides for administrative, teaching/presentation, learning/research and interactive spaces. The facilities within the building include offices, filing rooms, large rooms for graduate students workstations, e-library, library, computer laboratory, lactation spaces for nursing mothers, student lounge areas, 250 seating capacity auditoria, syndicate rooms, washrooms, kitchenettes, a lift, staircases access ramps, as well as maintenance and utility rooms.