Dr. Alhassan Musah an Interdisciplinary Professional, and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sustainable Development Studies of the University for Development Studies is the new Dean of Students.

Dr. Alhassan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Cape Coast, a Master’s degree in Microfinance from the Universita Degli Studi Di Bergamo, Italy, a PhD in Endogenous Development from the University for Development Studies, and a Certificate in Project Management from the Maastricht School of Management, the Netherlands. Dr. Alhassan is also a Chartered Accountant. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA, UK) and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICCA, Ghana). 

Dr. Alhassan joined the University for Development Studies in November 2011 following a successful career in Development Work. He was first appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Accounting of the then School of Business and Law of the University for Development Studies.

Dr. Alhassan served in various capacities in the Business School including as Head of the Department of Accounting, and later Vice-Dean. At the Business School, Dr. Alhassan was a key member of the team that developed both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for accreditation including playing key roles in transforming the course offerings from a single Bachelor’s degree to more than 5 undergraduate degree programmes. At the Business School, Dr. Alhassan related well with colleagues and students and showed particular interest in the welfare and progress of students. He successfully raised funds from NGOs and the private sector to institute the first Dean’s award for deserving students in the Business School. He also raised funding from NGOs to institute a prize scheme for best graduating female students at the then School of Business and Law. In terms of teaching, Dr Alhassan taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels including NGO Management and Development, Accounting, Auditing and Microfinance. 

Dr. Alhassan moved to the newly created Faculty of Sustainable Development Studies in 2021. He was later elected Vice-Dean where he has since been a key member of a team developing academic programmes for accreditation. His current research interests include inclusive finance, sustainable development, corporate sustainability and greening of business. He has served on several boards and committees in the University including schools/faculty boards, graduate school board, academic board and the University Clinics’ Board. Dr. Alhassan was a member of the University Committee that worked on the minimum and maximum credit load requirements for undergraduate programmes to bring that in line with national and international standards. 

Prior to joining academia, Dr. Alhassan worked as the Financial Controller and later the Executive Director of RAINS, an NGO running an integrated development model in Northern Ghana with a big work portfolio targeted at the development of young people. He was Secretary to the Working Committee that established and nurtured the first all Girls’ Senior High School in the Northern Region (Tamale Girls Senior High, aka Pag’ Naa).  He was also previously the Country Project Manager for the YouthSave Consortium, a project that studied youth demand for financial services in Ghana, Nepal, Kenya and Colombia, and funded by the MasterCard Foundation. As Ghana Project Manager, Dr. Alhassan coordinated the work of project partners including ISSER and HFC Bank (now Republic Bank) to develop a Savings product targeted at low-income youth.  During his time in development work, he rendered consultancy and advisory services to several local and international NGOs including STARS Foundation UK, HOPE for Children, UK, USAID/RING Project, USAID/AgnRM Project, ActionAid Ghana, STAR-Ghana, the African Biodiversity Network and many others.

Dr. Alhassan has a blend of industry and academic experience that will be essential for the role of Dean of Students. He is expected to utilize his industry experience and networks to bear on the student experience in the Premier University of the North, and the nation’s top most development focused learning centre. Dr. Alhassan wants to build on the excellent foundation of his predecessors to enrich the student experience in the University. “This will be a team assignment. Working with Deans of Schools and Faculties and other important stakeholders including students we should be able deliver services that will support students to maximise opportunities inside and outside the University. As an Alumnus myself, this is a call to duty. We will endeavour to join hands to expand the scope of the work of student associations beyond celebrations. I believe the University is determined to ensure that students remain connected to the institution by delivering services that will make its products want to come back either as graduate students, staff or even remain global ambassadors of brand UDS.” 

By way of community service, Dr. Alhassan sits on the Boards of many entities including RAINS, CALID, Borimanga Rural Bank Ltd among others. He is also a Co-Founder, and Lead Convenor of SDD-Ghana, a ‘people’s Think Tank’ dedicated to extending the economic agency of young people.  Dr. Alhassan is also a member of the Audit Committees of a number of institutions as an independent member nominated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana. 
Students can reach him on Facebook @ Sheikh Simbaako Zandey.