The College should strengthen its partnerships and collaboration with local and international industrial establishments to offer practical and industry-driven training and research programmes to make its graduates highly competitive and globally accepted.

Prof. Mrs. Dickson made the call at the Sixth Students and Industrial Partners Awards organised by the CoE to honour students who have excelled in their fields, and industries, which have supported the teaching and learning of engineering.

This year's awards ceremony coincided with the official opening of the annual Students' Career Fair, which offered students the opportunity to discover the diverse opportunities in pursuing engineering.

Prof. Mrs. Dickson applauded partners of the College for offering the needed support to train and provide the students with 21st century skills to position them appropriately in the job market, which had become highly competitive.

She said the University would continue to support the activities of the CoE to provide cutting-edge solutions to the country's industrial problems. Prof. Mark Adom-Asamoah, the Provost of the College, said the awards was to encourage students to continue to work harder in their quest for academic excellence.

The industrial partners were also acknowledged for their enormous contribution and support to the College in the training of engineering students. The ceremony saw 250 students being awarded in three undergraduate categories in each of the 15 programmes offered at the College.

All students who received the awards would be placed on the Provost's list for 2018/2019 academic year, and would remain on the list until the beginning of the 2019/2020 academic year, when they would have to justify their continued placement or give way to others.

Prof. Adom-Asamoah said industrial partners had been providing vacation training, supporting Engineering, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship conferences, and donating equipment and accessories for teaching and learning.

Again, the partners have refurbished some teaching facilities and donated to the College's Needy Students' Fund. Prof. Adom-Asamoah said the College's Board had instituted an award in honour of two of the former vice chancellors, who were also engineers.

They are the Prof. F.O. Kwami Award, which is given to the best graduating male student, and the Prof. K.A. Andam Award, presented to the best graduating female student.