The University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) is navigating its early years of autonomy with significant academic gains. During a parliamentary oversight visit by the Education Committee, the university highlighted its progress and resilience despite difficulties associated with transitioning to full independence. The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Joseph Kwame Kumah, commended the university's efforts, particularly after it had to independently repackage 177 academic programmes.
UBIDS' Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, disclosed that management had secured approval from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to recruit new assistant lecturers. This move follows the loss of 55 key staff members to the University for Development Studies (UDS) during the transition. The university is taking steps to address its staffing needs and ensure a smooth academic process.
The university has a strategic plan to establish a medical school by 2027, which was commended by Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, Member of Parliament for Offinso North. However, he raised questions about the sustainability of the university's operating model, particularly the disparity between its weekend master's and regular student populations. The university has 1,898 weekend master's students compared with 356 regular students.
Infrastructure constraints are a major challenge for UBIDS, with a government debt of GH¢114 million relating to land acquisition slowing campus development. Prof. Derbile disclosed that a new 600-bed facility would accommodate only about six per cent of the university's 10,000-student population. This underscores the need for targeted support to help newly established universities meet their infrastructure requirements.
Despite the constraints, UBIDS continues to register academic achievements. Its School of Law recorded a notable success, with 27 of its 47 graduates passing their professional entrance examinations at the first attempt. This achievement demonstrates the university's commitment to academic excellence and its students' success.
The university is also taking steps to address gender disparities in higher education. Female enrolment declines from 52 per cent at the diploma level to just 15 per cent at the PhD level, a trend the university is seeking to reverse through targeted interventions. A new Centre for Gender Diversity and Social Inclusion has been established to mentor female scholars and promote greater participation in advanced academic study.
Management is appealing for special financial dispensation for newly established universities to help them overcome transitional difficulties, consolidate their gains and establish a sustainable foundation for future growth. The university's Practical Training Programme (PTP) is another flagship initiative that has been commended by the parliamentary committee.
Key points
- UBIDS has recorded significant academic gains despite early challenges
- The university is taking steps to address infrastructure constraints and gender disparities
- Management is appealing for special financial dispensation for newly established universities
