In the heart of the bustling city of Tamale, nestled within the University for Development Studies (UDS), the faculty members eagerly gathered at the prestigious Dr. Andani Chamber Hall. The occasion was monumental - the inaugural capacity-building program organized by the Tamale Campus Branch of the University Teachers Association of UDS, a beacon of knowledge and growth for its esteemed members.

The capacity building program took place on the 29th of November, 2023. The program commenced under the stewardship of Prof. Ibrahim Mohammed, the esteemed Dean of the Faculty of Education, a figure revered for his wisdom and leadership. Dr. Simon Alhassan, the campus chairman of UTAG, graced the event, extending a warm welcome to all attendees, setting the tone for an enriching gathering.

The Immediate Past Pro-Vice Chancellor, Felix K. Abagale, opened the workshop with a presentation on the topic, "Developing Oneself Towards a Successful Career as a Young University Lecturer." Prof. Abagale emphasized that the essence of a young university lecturer transcends age, focusing instead, on the ranks and positions achieved within the academic realm. He explained the University's standards and criteria for promotion, underscoring the importance of teaching and research experience, student supervision, and publications.

The Director of Academic Academic Programmes and Quality Assurance, Prof. Shamsudeen Ziblim’s presentation was on the topic, "Essential Requirement for Developing a Curriculum for a New Program." He emphasized the indispensable need to practice teaching through a well-defined course outline - the course description. He shed light on the guidelines of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) through questionnaires, outlining crucial components like program level, national relevance, and uniqueness, alignment with institutional mandates, program objectives, and outcomes. Prof. Ziblim also took participants through lessons on how to mount new programs, emphasizing factors such as relevance to national development, curriculum content, faculty qualifications, funding, employability, consultations, and infrastructure.

The Dean of the UDS School of Business, Prof. Ibrahim Osman Adam’s presentation was on the topic, "Essential Requirements for A Grant-Winning Proposal". He meticulously outlined the steps towards identifying sources of grants, stressing the significance of understanding grant opportunities and demonstrating needs with irrefutable evidence. He underlined the importance of innovation, clarity in defining goals, a robust methodology, partnerships, compliance, and leveraging artificial intelligence for effective grant proposals.

At the end of the workshop, participants who spoke to UDS Media lauded the organisers and appealed to them to organize more of such in the future.

Story by:
Kuyipwa Elsie
(UDS Media)