PRESIDENT’S SPEECH DELIVERED ON THE OCASSION OF THE FIRST MATRICULATION AND OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THE CUC MBA PROGRAMME
Mr. Chancellor
Chairperson of the Board of Regents
Members of the Board of Regents
Vice – Chancellor, University of Cape Coast
Members of the ICGC Presbytery
Executive secretaries of NAB and NCTE
Members of the Central University community
Invited guests
Matriculants
Ladies and gentlemen
Today is a very special day in the life of our University. We have just launched our Master of Business Administration programme and also matriculated the pioneer class of the MBA programme. We as a University are proud of ourselves and we deserve to part ourselves at the back and give praise to God for bringing us this far.
When Central University College was established, the dream of the founding fathers was that the University will be an institution where transformational leaders will be developed and trained. This is to be done through Faith, Integrity and Excellence. The MBA programme gives us another opportunity to bring to fruition the dreams of the founding fathers.
Central University College started humbly with the School of Theology and Missions. Next came The School of Business Management and Administration and recently the Faculty of Arts and Social Science. With perseverance we introduced Graduate programmes in the School of Theology and Missions offering MA and MPhil in Theology. Today, we have just matriculated the first batch of students into the Central University College’s MBA programme and in 18 months we will have the first batch of MBA graduants. This makes Central University College the very first private university college in Ghana to offer an MBA programme. We therefore have every reason to rejoice and be glad. The MBA progrmme which we just have launched is a unique one. It offers the Core themes in the first two stages where students are provided with a critical awareness and understanding of the broad curriculum of management and business. The third stage is the concentration areas. Four concentration arrears are available to students. These are: Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management and General MBA. We hope to increase the offerings in future.
The fourth and last stage is where students undertake a 20,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choice.
In addition to these, we have the language component which is to make our students more marketable in the global world of business. As I mentioned during the orientation, we shall add Chinese language beginning next academic year. The Chinese Ambassador has promised us books on the Chinese language and a Lecturer to help teach the language. In fact we had hoped that he would be here this morning to present the books to the University. We also have Fraud Management component as part of the MBA programme. Fraud in business organisations these days is becoming a major issue. Recently we all heard about fraud in the banking sector where employees were able to make away with millions of cedis. Being a progressive and dynamic institution, we have incorporated in our progrmme a component which will teach our student how to detect, prevent and manage fraud. There is also the Personal and Professional Development Programme. These components can only be found in the Central University College’s MBA programme.
Even though the duration for advertisement was short for the programme, we had a total of 339 applications of which 261 candidates were offered admissions. The break down of the options is as follows: Finance – 134, Marketing – 46, Human Resource Management – 44 and General MBA – 37. The Central University College MBA programme is very flexible and friendly to workers. One can choose to attend the morning session, the evening session or the weekend session. The breakdown for the sessions is as follows: Morning – 34, Evening – 106 and Weekend – 121. We have a highly experienced and motivated academic staff handling the MBA programme in addition to high standard facilities that we have provided for the programme.
On behalf of the Chancellor and the Board of Regents and on my own behalf, I want to thank the University of Cape Coast for kindly agreeing to be our mentors and allowing us to affiliate with them.
We at Central University College notice with joy government’s determination to vigorously pursue science and technology for the nation’s development. This came out clearly when the Vice–Chancellors of the public Universities called on His Excellency the President to show their solidarity for the new educational reform which was launched by him. In order to support government’s effort in training more scientists, the Board of Regents of Central University College has directed the Academic Board of the University College to offer science programmes with effect from October 2007. In this direction therefore a 6.6 billion cedis 4-story science laboratory block is nearing completion at our site in Miotso. The Tender Board of the University has subsequently awarded a 4.0 billion cedis contract for the construction of the laboratory benches and fume cupboards in the laboratory block. The Finance Committee of the University has approved another 7.0 billion cedis for the purchase of chemicals, glassware and equipment. We hope the National Accreditation Board would treat our request for accreditation with dispatch to enable us start offering Science programmes in October 2007. I want to use this forum to express my personal and sincere gratitude and that of the Academic Board to the Board of Regents for their foresight and direction they give to the University.
In order to expand and pursue other diverse programmes and become one of the top universities, the University will move its offices to our new site in Miotso come September 2007. We are feverishly preparing for the move. We hope the National Accreditation Board will find the place conducive for academic work.
Now let me turn to the matriculants. Accept my warm congratulation for being matriculated into a first class MBA programme. You yourselves will admit that this MBA programme is unique and different from any of the others in the country. Apart from the academic knowledge, you are also acquiring moral values to help you with your own future development. We have made faith, integrity and excellence very real to you in your studies. With your skills in Fraud detection, prevention and management you should be able to transform your environment. The French language skill you are acquiring in this programme should take you far and above your competitors. Your colleagues in the office should be able to tell the different values that you have acquired after the programme. We are very confident that when you complete the MBA programme, above the sky will be your limit. You will truly be the agent of positive change that we as a university desire. I want to encourage all of you to work hard to complete the programme. None of you should drop out. I am very confident that you will all make it. I wish all of you well in your academic pursuit.
May God continue to bless Central University College and all of us.
I thank you very much for your attention.
