KNUST position on world university rankings will drop – Professor Agyekum

The Acting Dean of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Prof. Kofi Agyekum popularly known as Opanyin Agyekum reckons the recent violence that erupted on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) will negatively affect the school’s position on the world university rankings.

The University is currently closed indefinitely after the angry students damaged over 30 vehicles including the official vehicle of the Dean of Students. They also ransacked the Vice Chancellor’s office and the security post on the school premises.

The students accused the school’s management of brutalizing them after they were accused of engaging in illegal ‘morale’ activities which included drumming during a hall week celebration.

Government in the wake of the disturbance on Thursday dissolved the Universities Governing Council and in its place set up an interim committee to manage affairs. The school is expected to be reopened with two weeks.

Speaking on the development at KNUST, Prof, Kofi Agyekum who’s also a former member of the National Peace Council, condemned the act of vandalism by the students saying their action lowers the esteem of the university on the international scene, adding that KNUST’s position on global ranking is sure to dip.

“This unfortunate incident at KNUST will to a great extent adversely affect its position on the World ranking of Universities. The violence that was recorded in that demonstration cast a bad light on the image of the university as the incident was reported on the internet. It has always been the prayer that KNUST will join University of Ghana in making Ghana proud on the world ranking but this development is sure to draw KNUST back. Also the incident will reduce the amount of money the KNUST gets from its Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

According to the Ranking Web of World Universities July 2018 edition, KNUST is ranked 1933 in the world, 23 in Africa and 2nd in Ghana.