The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has urged the University of Media Arts and Communication (UNIMAC) to use research to address development challenges for the growth of the country.
According to him, research was the backbone of every institution and nation hence the need for UNIMAC to “engage in research for national transformation and for global impact whilst solving our local needs.”
He made the call at the first session of the 1st congregation of the UNIMAC held on Friday.
Mr Yaw Adutwum revealed that the merger of the Ghana Institute of Languages, the National Film and Television Institute and the Ghana Institute of Journalism into UNIMAC was a show of governments’ commitment towards strengthening communication, media and the arts industry to become a hub of job creation for the youth.
He pledged government’s support to UNIMAC to ensure students were equipped with industry-required skills to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.
The Minister congratulated the students on their academic success, charging them to develop a “growth mindset” to excel in their intended professions.
The acting Vice Chancellor of the UNIMAC, Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, reminded government of the seed money it promised the University and appealed to other stakeholders to attend to some financial constraints the University faced.
“The seed money promised at the first announcement of the merger on the floor of parliament, in the reading of the 2020 budget, would be a very welcome life-sustainer and growth-engendering impetus for this new University,” he entreated.
He also noted that the University needed urgent financial assistance to address the significant shortfall in infrastructure and relevant equipment bedevilling the University.
The Communications Manager of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mrs Shirley Tony Kum, commended the students for their dedication and hard work.
She added that with the ongoing economic challenges, it was important for all universities to collaborate with industries to produce students with employable skills.
“The marketplace is saturated and demands higher-than-normal focused attention from you to yield a higher-than-normal performance to thrive. You must think outside the box, embrace challenges and explore opportunities locally and globally,” she said.
At the second session of the 1st congregation of UNIMAC held over the weekend, the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Theophilus Yartey, admonished the graduands to be truthful and accurate in their media and communication fields.
President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, noted that this year’s batch of students had become automatically part of the Association and therefore should feel comfortable to engage with them.
It was enthralling to see Ms Fauzeeya Jamal-Deen bag the Best Female Student Award in Journalism among other awards.
Her mother who could not hold her joy rushed from her seat to the podium and bowed at her daughter’s feet showing appreciation to her achievement.
As part of her package for her efforts, Ms Jamal-Deen is to make a trip to South Africa with expenses to be paid for by the South African High Commission in Accra and other partners.
The two sessions saw a total of 1,281 students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication Studies (Journalism and Public Relations options), Diploma in Communication Studies, Master of Arts (MA) in Journalism, MA in Public Relations, MA Development Communication, Higher National Diploma in Bilingual Secretaryship and BA in Translation.
BY JESSEL LARTEY THERSON-COFIE & YUNUSAH ESSANDOH
