The president of the African University College of Communication (AUCC), Prof Abeku Quansah has admonished Ghanaian students to move away from traditional theoretical-based learning towards practical learning approaches.
This approach, according to Prof Quansah, would help find solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the country’s development.
He said this when a delegation from the Acharya University in India paid a courtesy call on him in Accra.
The visit was intended to foster academic partnerships between tertiary institutions in India and Ghana to harness mutual academic benefits.
Prof Quansah underscored that the “traditional theoretical approach has done little in addressing the challenges facing the country and the time has arrived for the country to move away from such pedagogy.”
He said it has become imperative for Ghanaian students to build strong international academic relationships with other institutions to benefit from innovation and pragmatic ideas in addressing the many economic challenges Ghana faces.
He further highlighted the strides India has made in becoming a global powerhouse for ICT and communication.
He welcomed the opportunity the Acharya University presents to open its doors to Ghanaian students seeking graduate education.
On her part, the International Students’ Representative for Acharya University, Sonia reiterated the need to redefine the educational paradigm by coming up with programmes relative to the needs of the world.
She also stressed the role of ICT as a tool in advancing economic growth.
According to her, Acharya University supports over 1,400 students with scholarships annually.
She, therefore, admonished Ghanaian students seeking to pursue graduate studies outside to consider India as the best alternative to Western and European universities.
Nana Kumasah Krampah II (Omankrado of the Gomoa Assin Traditional Area), who also doubles as the Executive Director for the Action on Africa Women Foundation, expressed optimism about the numerous opportunities such a partnership will present.
Nana added that “the decision to foster partnership between Ghanaian universities and Acharya University is to help build human resource capacity among Ghanaian students.”
“I decided to link Acharya University to some Ghanaian universities. This is to allow working Ghanaian students to travel outside to upgrade their knowledge for promotion which hitherto has been very difficult. The Acharya partnership would also help Ghanaian students benefit from their best academics who would come to Ghana to teach.”
He further underscored the need to see improvement in the educational sector across the country as a driving force to help the economic development of the country.