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Accra Technical University is repositioning itself as Africa’s preferred technical university for industry impact, emerging technology and sustainability, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Amevi Acakpovi, has said.
He said the renewed vision was driven by the need for technical universities to anticipate industry demand, respond to rapid technological change and contribute meaningfully to sustainable national and continental development.
Prof. Acakpovi was saying this during his investiture as Vice-Chancellor of Accra Technical University (ATU) at a ceremony held in Accra.
The ceremony brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education and regulatory bodies, members of the Governing Council, university management, faculty, staff, students, alumni, industry partners, development partners and invited guests.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Acakpovi expressed gratitude to the Governing Council, the Ministry of Education and the Government of Ghana for the confidence reposed in him to serve as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.
Reflecting on his two-and-a-half-year tenure as acting Vice-Chancellor, he said the period was marked by institutional transition, reform and high expectations, requiring stability, strategic focus and collective effort.
He explained that during the period, the university consolidated earlier gains, addressed structural gaps and repositioned itself for sustainable growth while maintaining continuity in academic and administrative operations.
Prof. Acakpovi said research and innovation were strategically strengthened through improved research governance, increased grant mobilisation and higher publication output in internationally indexed journals such as Scopus and Web of Science.
He disclosed that in 2025, ATU hosted its first international academic conference of high repute, resulting in the publication of more than 200 peer-reviewed papers across three editions by international publishers, including Springer and Macquarie Press.
The VC added that over the past five years, the university had secured more than $5 million in external research and development grants, contributing to institutional stability and supporting research, innovation and capacity-building initiatives.
He announced that the university’s newly approved 2026–2030 Strategic Plan would guide its operations over the next five years.
He said the plan was aligned with national development priorities, the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and outcomes of recent national education consultations, and was anchored on seven pillars.
The Director-General of TVET Services, Professor Eric Kofi Adzroe, who spoke on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Education, Clement Abass Apaak, described the investiture as a moment of responsibility and renewed expectation for the university and its leadership.
He said Ghana’s development depended on skilled graduates, who could apply knowledge practically, making technical universities central to national progress and economic transformation.
The Technical Advisor to the Minister of Education, Professor George Oduro, said ATU occupied a strategic place in the country’s tertiary education landscape because of its mandate to bridge theory and practice, align education with industry, innovation and entrepreneurship and produce graduates capable of creating employment.
Professor Oduro explained that the office of Vice-Chancellor went beyond administration and required moral, intellectual and strategic leadership driven by vision, courage, empathy and discipline, particularly in an era of rapid technological change and rising societal expectations of tertiary education.
