Its membership will, among other things, allow the participation of the university in workshops of the AAU, and also have easy access to documentations and up-to-date statistics on African institutions.

The chairman for the University College’s Council, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, announced this during the first session of the 7th Congregation of the university.

A total of 222 students graduated with bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, awarded by the university’s affiliate institution, University of Cape Coast (UCC).

Out of the number, 14 students obtained First Class, 96 obtained Second Class Honours (Upper Division), while 105 students had Second Class (Lower Division). Seven graduates obtained Third Class.

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said  the University had, over the years, collaborated with a number of international higher institutions and, therefore, expressed his joy over their admission to the association.

Contribution to economy

Prof.  Anamuah-Mensah stated that the university had produced a total of 1794 graduates with bachelor’s degrees since its first graduation in 2013, and 78 postgraduates with Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree programmes. He stated that most graduates of the university had been employed in top-notch companies, including the oil industry contributing immensely to the economic growth of the country.

He, therefore, called on the graduates to go beyond the requisite knowledge they acquired and build on the practical skills that their profession might demand.

“There are lots of indiscipline, corruption, pockets of instant justice, and sexual immorality, however, know that education which is not backed by morality is worthless,” Prof.  Anamuah-Mensah advised.

The Rector, Mr Stephen Takyi-Asiedu, also advised the graduates to seek excellence and integrity wherever they found themselves.

New academic programmes

On the introduction of new programmes, Mr Takyi-Asiedu explained that the university had added a two-year Diploma in Business Administration Programme which took off in February this year to add up to the MBA and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree programmes.

He said the university had also completed the affiliation process with UCC to introduce a Bachelor of Law (LLB) programme. However, management was still awaiting the final report from the National Accreditation Board, he noted.

He also mentioned that the college was collaborating with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) to introduce Advanced Diploma, Diploma and Certificate courses in Logistics and Transport, as well as short courses in entrepreneurship.

Challenges

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah noted that economic downturn, especially in the sub-region and the university’s inability to offer admission to foreign students from neighbouring countries had reduced the intake of foreign students.

He lamented the state of graduate unemployment and said Zenith University College intended to strengthen its relationship with the business world and develop entrepreneurial courses that would make the university’s graduates work-ready and self-employed.