November 23, 2018

The School of Graduate Studies, with the support of the University of Ghana (UG) branch of Doctoral Research Association of Ghana (DRAG), has organised a PhD forum as part of the University’s 70th anniversary celebration themed “Promoting PhD Education in Ghana”.

Present at the Forum was the Chair of the event and Vice-Chancellor of the UG, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu. Also, present were the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Professor Kwaku Tano-Debrah, Professor Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Provost of the College of Humanities, and Professor Kwesi Yankah, the Minister in Charge of Tertiary Education.

Professor Kwaku Tano-Debrah, who gave the opening remarks also spoke extensively on the issue of funding PhD education and expressed his belief that the forum was an opportunity to examine the delivery of postgraduate education with a focus on issues of quality postgraduate education as well as admitting and keeping students of PhD programmes till they graduate.

Addressing participants, the Vice-Chancellor, in his welcome address, stressed the importance of PhD education in Ghana. He said he believes the forum was going to serve as a platform for thorough discourse on the way forward for PhD education.

Prof. Kwesi Yankah, who delivered the keynote address, also echoed Prof. Owusu’s sentiments regarding honorary doctorate degrees. According to him, PhD candidates go through rigorous work before being awarded their degrees accounts for people’s attachment to the PhD title.

 Prof. Kwesi Yankah also noted that PhD education is of prime importance to economic development. This is chiefly because the PhD process is an art in the creation of knowledge.

Various topics presented at the Forum included “An overview of PhD training in Ghana; Structure and Challenges, University of Ghana perspective”, presented by Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu and “Private Sector Expectations”, presented by the former President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr. James Asare Adjei.  

The Forum ended with a panel discussion moderated by Professor Nana Aba Amfo, the Dean of the School of Languages. Some of the concerns raised by students during the forum were mostly focused on the high cost of funding PhD education and inadequate time to complete their research projects.