The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has graduated a total of 4,874 students with a call on them to use the skills and knowledge acquired to transform their communities.

The graduands,166 of whom secured First Class, 912 Second Class Upper and 1357, Second Class Lower, completed various Degree and Diploma programmes through the University's Sandwich and Distance Learning modules for the 2020/2021 academic year in the Central, Western and Western North Regions.

Addressing the fifth and sixth sessions of the 53rd Congregation ceremony, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Vice Chancellor, urged them to be agents of change to empower them to improve their immediate environment and beyond.

The seventh to the 11th sessions will come off from Thursday, October 28 to Saturday, October 30th for graduands from Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, Northern, North East Savannah, Upper East and West, Ashanti, Eastern, Oti, Volta Regions.

The graduands, Prof Boampong, stated must strive and uphold the reputation of the university as one of the best in the country and Africa as a whole and expressed gratitude to stakeholders for their relentless commitment to transform the lives of students at the University.

"Let me remind you of the legacy of UCC. Here in UCC, we are proud of our legacy of integrity, quality and excellence bequeathed to our graduates of which you are a beneficiary.

"I believe your period of training has not only prepared you to be responsible citizens but also capable of applying knowledge and skills acquired to solve real life time problems confronting our dear nation in particular and the African Continent as a whole," Prof Boampong said.

Towards transforming Ghana's premier research institution, the Vice Chancellor announced that the University authorities were working to establish e-learning studios in all satellite facilities across the country with the best of technology to aid teaching and learning.

"The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic unraveled the need to make solid, the mode of delivery of tertiary education through a technology-driven distance education.

"This places the demand on the university to complete, refurbish and resource her out-centre facilities to be needful at such times for effective academic engagements," he assured.

In addition to that, the University had began the training of personnel to man the facilities in collaboration with BET-Ghana Project to bring education to the doorsteps of all.

Nevertheless, the Vice Chancellor said the University was striving to complete the Training and Resort Centre at Agona-Nyakrom and Dominase to enhance its quest for more space to expand distance education.

He also mentioned the delay in the production of modules for students nationwide, inadvertently affected the academic calendar and appealed to service providers to attach urgency to contractual agreements to promote success in the performance and quality service delivery to students.

Prof Boampong expressed gratitude to stakeholders, particularly module writers, chief examiners, facilitators of study centres and host institutions across the Country.

He mentioned the notable feat, recently chalked by the university, including being ranked among the top 350 universities globally, first in Ghana, first in West Africa and first in research influence globally, among others.

Earlier, Professor Obeng Mireku, Council Chairman of the UCC Governing Council, advocated increased and sustainable financing mechanisms to effectively support public universities to live up to their core mandate.

He told the graduates to take interest in supporting alumni activities and be best ambassadors, offering invaluable marketing and promotions on their personal and professional networks across the World.

Prof Obeng Mireku encouraged them to exhibit high levels of dedication, accountability, integrity and honesty in all their professional careers to better themselves.

Mr Godfred Manu, the overall best graduating student with CGPA of 4.0, expressed gratitude to lecturers and other authorities at the University for transforming the lives of students at the University and pledged their commitment to make the institution proud in all their endeavours.