The Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson has disclosed some measures the University management have taken in its ‘digitisation agenda’, in the quest to have a blend of traditional modes of teaching and learning with that of modern trends of electronic modes of education.
The Vice Chancellor announced these measures at her maiden state of the University address to members of the KNUST community, on Thursday 9th December 2021, which was under the theme: ‘STRENGTHENING SYSTEMS, DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE and CULTIVATING MEANINGFUL COLLABORATIONS and PARTNERSHIPS.
Digitisation and ICT is the third thematic area as indicated in the Action plan on the University’s vision for the next 4 years, which is in accordance with the University’s strategic plan.
Delivering her address, Professor Dickson stated that, “The University is now committed to ensuring that at least 30% of all lectures are on virtual platforms and 70% in-person in order to ensure our versatility as an Institution. To this end, we have taken steps to develop a robust and resilient ICT infrastructure.”
Some of the measures that has been taken, as part of the digitisation agenda, according to the Vice Chancellor are:
- GHC 10 million data centre under construction with new equipment bought to augment the University’s E-infrastructure.
- An E-learning studios to aid online teaching and learning with 80% of the equipment needed for its operations procured.
- lecture rooms to be retooled to make them SMART classrooms at an estimated cost of seventeen million Ghana Cedis (GH 17,000,000.00)
- Migration to a fully automated online transcript system and the gradual rolling out of a campus-wide VoIP system for communication.
- Restructuring of University Information Technology Services (UITS) to better support E-learning and other activities
- Training of all lecturers and students on the use of the Virtual Class platform.
As part of the measures, Prof. Dickson added that, “Under the auspices of the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, KNUST has been supported with the state-of-the-art E-Learning Facilities with assistance from the Indian High Commission
We have integrated live class soft wares like Zoom and Big Blue Button into the Virtual Class and gone ahead to procure 500 zoom licenses and registered 1,500 more licenses through GARNET for use by staff.”
The Vice Chancellor further revealed that, the university management is committed to executing the project because of the importance placed on making classrooms fit for purpose in this digital era.
“With these new changes and the establishment of the E-Learning Centre we hope to provide optimum E-services to provide the required support for teaching, learning, research and administration of the University,” she added.