The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), one of the public universities to be established at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Regional capital, is expected to train the next generation of experts and provide cutting-edge research to support Ghana’s development in energy and natural resources.

The acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university, Prof. Mrs Esi Awuah, who stated this, said the UENR would also provide leadership in the sciences, technology and management of energy and natural resources and be a centre of excellence in these critical areas.

Prof. Mrs Awuah was speaking on the topic “Establishment of a public University in Brong Ahafo Region; How far we gone?” at the dialogue session of the Brong Ahafo Regional Policy Fair Sunyani.

She stated further that the university would approach its programmes and research by emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach and taking into account the areas such as economics, law and policy, management, science technology an engineering, social said, would be designed to develop the skills of students to ensure their smooth transition into their chosen careers.

She continued that in order to realize it vision the university would promote innovation, creativity, freedom of thought and creative expression, as well as operate with integrity, commitment and transparency as some of its core values.

Prof. Mrs Awuah said the university would also be responsive to the needs of its students and partner communities. She said the university would equally make it a policy for every student to develop a business plan before completion, and that the administration would form a collaboration with the Harvard Business School.

Touching on the governance of the university, Prof. Mrs Awuah announced that it was modeled on a two tier or bi-camera system of governance which was made up of a council and academic board as stated in the law establishing the university.

Prof. Mrs Awuah said the university would have multi-campuses: the main campus, she said, shall be located in Sunyani, the regional capital , to address the critical needs and programmes. In addition, she said, the university shall develop teaching and research sites around the country to address peculiar energy and natural resource issues.

Prof. Mrs Awuah said the administrative block of the university had been completed and furnished while bungalows for key staff were in place coupled with the development of start-up programmes for accreditation and academic calendar for the first year of the university, as well as the recruitment of key staff, among others.

The university is to be made up of seven schools. They are School of Natural Resources, School of Engineering, School of Sciences, School of Arts and Social Studies, School of Agriculture and Technology, School of Geosciences and Graduate School of Management and Sustainable Development.

Source: Daily Graphic

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