University of Chester awards Ghanaian born lecturer

Dr. David Acquaye, a Ghanaian born lecturer at University Chester in the United Kingdom, has won this year’s Outstanding Professional Mentor Award, an award that was keenly contested by over 200 lecturers.

The recognition is under the Student Led Teaching Awards that is given to lecturers who demonstrate and go beyond and above to give their best at the end of the academic year.

Other staffs of the school were also rewarded under other nine categories that included; Most Helpful Feedback, Most Inspiring Lecturer, Most Innovative Lecturer and Outstanding Postgraduate Supervisor.

The citation reads: “One of the Most Genuine and Cheerful men. David is the ‘go-to’ guy for many students. He always listens and helps students overcome difficult problems and described as a university highlight by some”.

Ms Cherelle Mitchell, Chester Student Union President, who presented the award at the prestigious story house in UK, remarked that the annual accolade was given to teachers whose work had a great impact on students.

“We hear exceptional things from lecturers, tutors and staff across the university and we want to give you the opportunity to be recognized for the great work you do for student and how much it supports the student.

“From passion and enthusiasm in the lecture room, to help support from the non-academic service and the importance of bringing positive energy to students studying at Chester,” she noted.

Dr Aquaye, who is currently the Deputy Head of Department, Business and Finance, University of Chester Business School, speaking in a telephone interview with the Ghana News Agency expressed joy at the honour and said it would further motivate him to make more impact and provided the needed support to students.

“Teaching has always been a passion and I feel fulfilled when students love, appreciate and understand my subjects. This started way back in Breman Asikuma Secondary School in the Central Region of Ghana as a Science where I gladly taught students.

“I have really enjoyed teaching over the past 19 years and this I see my profession as a divine calling and a privilege to have an opportunity to make a contribution to students career development,” he remarked.

Dr Acquaye disclosed that his method of teaching had been on realist pedagogical philosophy, explaining that “I have always believed that applying theory to practice in the classroom environment is the best way to enhance the students’ learning experience especially teaching quantitatively related modules and this has worked to perfection.”

Due to dent of hard work, he had won other similar awards, including the, 2016 Winner of Excellence in Teaching Award-Above and Beyond Awards, University of Chester, and 2012 Winner of Outstanding Teaching Fellowship Award – Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales.

Before joining the University of Chester in September 2015, Dr Acquaye taught programmes run by Cardiff Metropolitan University and Anglia Ruskin University through the London School of Commerce.

Dr. Acquaye holds PhD (Finance) from Cardiff Metropolitan University, an MBA (Finance Option)- Cardiff Metropolitan University and BSc. (Land Economy)-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

He is a Fellow of the higher education academy in the United Kingdom.