Pentecost University gets new Vice Chancellor

Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua has been appointed as the first Vice-Chancellor of Accra-based Pentecost University (PU), which received a Presidential Charter recently to run as a fully-fledged university.

Prof. Agyapong-Kodua, 40, a Pastor of The Church of Pentecost, proud owners of the University, replaces Apostle Dr Daniel Okyere Walker, the current Rector who has been transferred to head the Church in Tarkwa in the Western Region.

The UK-based academic is an associate professor of Digital Systems Engineering & Management at Warwick University in the UK. He had earlier taught and supervised student projects at Leicester College, South Leicestershire College, Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham, where he rose to become a Senior Research Fellow.

Graduating from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2000, he worked as a Design Engineer with GRATIS Foundation and later moved on to join Nestle Ghana Limited as an Engineer, heading one of their departments responsible for ERP (MPCS, by then) systems, preventive maintenance, stock control and management.

He ventured into academia in 2005 and obtained his Masters in Advanced Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management, and a PhD in Complex Systems Modelling from the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the Loughborough University in the UK.

He is a Chartered Engineer from the Royal Institute of Engineering and Technology, UK, and a Member of the Engineering Professors Council, UK.

In addition to his science and engineering qualifications, he holds a Masters in Practical Theology obtained from Mattersey College, UK; Prince 2 qualification in Project Management and professional certificates in Teaching and Learning.

After his PhD, he was appointed by the University of Nottingham as a Research Fellow at the University’s Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, where he led a number of large-scale European and EPSRC scientific and technological projects.

He is noted for his unique contribution towards the development of novel techniques for systems integration and reconfigurability, an area he later at the University of Warwick, together with his colleagues, obtained three records of invention, whilst leading a team of academics.

Prof Agyapong-Kodua has since 2008 been teaching and leading collaborative international research projects in areas of large-scale systems re-engineering; artificial intelligence and complex systems prediction, improvement and optimisation; advanced manufacturing technologies and automation.

His other works include consultancies in this domain for world-leading companies such as Shenling Co. Ltd, Guangzou, China; Artform International, UK; Jaguar Land Rover Ltd, UK; and Airbus-UK. Prof Agyapong-Kodua serves as a Board member of the Birmingham Christian College and Regents Theological College, both in the UK.

He has pioneered institutional research and teaching collaborations with some leading Universities in his field.

This includes the University of Windsor, Canada; Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary; University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, University of Stuggart, Germany; and the AMRC, University of Sheffield, UK.

He has also written seven books (three on Engineering Systems & management; three on the interface between science and theology; and one on tertiary education); contributed to three book chapters, and published over 40 papers in leading international journals and conference proceedings.

In Christian ministry, Prof. Agyapong-Kodua was a National Executive Member (2013-2015) of the Church of Pentecost-UK; Chairman of the National Literature Committee, UK; pastored within the London North and Milton Keynes Areas of the church and was the District Minister for SALEM PIWC, UK.

He was also the National Youth Leader (2017-2019) in the UK. Prof. Agyapong-Kodua is married to Vida.