UPSA vice-chancellor re-appointed to second term

At a Special Meeting of the Council of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) held on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, Members of the University Council unanimously approved a second term for the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey, from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2024.

His reappointment follows a rigorous process that included appraisals, interviews and consultations with faculty, staff, students, alumni and all relevant stakeholders from the wider University community. Since becoming Vice-Chancellor in 2017, Prof. Amartey has led UPSA through a period of unprecedented growth and development.

Under his leadership, several academic programmes of excellence have been introduced, including the PhD in Marketing, the MA in Peace and Security, and the E4Impact MBA programme.

During his first term as Vice-Chancellor, UPSA’s profile has significantly increased and the university has been ranked among the top universities in sub-Saharan Africa by Times Higher Education for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020) in a pioneering new global ranking that assessed the social and economic impact of universities based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The U-Multirank global universities rankings also listed the University as one of the top universities in the world in 2020.

UPSA is the only university in Ghana featured in the global rankings that assesses universities on a multi-dimensional approach to higher education, including teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, regional engagement and international orientation.

Under his administration, UPSA’s international partnerships and collaborations increased significantly to include strengthening faculty and staff global exchanges and instituting several collaborations for global learning opportunities for UPSA faculty.

As a result, several faculty members have been supported to complete their PhDs, while several more are currently in the process of completing their doctoral programmes.

Additionally, Prof. Amartey has heightened the research focus of UPSA faculty and introduced innovative publication award initiatives to encourage faculty publications in ranked journals.

Since assuming office, Prof. Amartey has continued the rapid infrastructure growth by building an AstroTurf football pitch, completing a state-of-the-art 3,550-capacity auditorium with underground parking, the Student Centre, with construction currently underway of new facilities including two, 10- storey multipurpose twin towers, and two, 10-storey hostel facilities.

In 2017, Prof. Amartey launched the Vice Chancellor’s Endowment Fund to help brilliant but needy students continue their education at UPSA. The fund has provided hundreds of thousands in monetary support to deserving students. The fund continues to grow and more students are expected to be supported in the coming years.

Prof. Amartey’s vision for his second term include a continuation of the development of academic programmes of excellence, increasing and expanding alumni and development support and increasing access to tertiary education by deserving students.

The results of the leadership of Prof. Amartey can be felt through the rapid expansion of the university, increase in admissions, and the global recognition over the few years of his administration.

His remarkable performance has been recognised with several reputable awards including CIMG Marketing Man of the year 2018, Nov 2018/2019 Most Respected CEO in the Education Sector, CEO of the Year (Public Sector), among others.

Prof. Amartey has led UPSA to become a university that continually puts civic commitment at its core, with a profound belief in the public benefit of providing excellent higher education in a socially responsible and impactful environment.

He has served as an advocate and ambassador for the University both locally and globally, consolidating gains and leveraging opportunities to advance the general growth and development of the UPSA community.

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