The Takoradi Technical University (TTU) has launched a five-year strategic plan (from 2021–2025) and also established an endowment fund, a disability support and services initiative fund, as well as a new website for the university.
The strategic plan highlights important milestones of the university and the need to position TTU on the path of sustainable growth in this competitive and turbulent environment.
The strategic plan seeks to provide clear objectives and direction for TTU, identifies and focuses on viable and realistic strategies and activities, and promotes optimum utilisation of available resources (efficiency) as well as promoting maximum realisation of stated goals and objectives (effectiveness).
Also, it seeks to improve the image of TTU through aggressive promotional campaigns and corporate branding, as well as setting clear output and outcome targets and indicators against which TTU’s performance will be measured and judged.
Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, Vice Chancellor of TTU, at the launch in Takoradi highlighted some of the strategic plans.
“Our vision is to transform TTU into becoming an innovative, world-class institution of higher learning, rooted in quality teaching, learning and applied research. Our strategic plan has four broad themes and 15 strategic objectives. These themes have been carefully crafted from the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
He pointed out some of these broad themes as institutional development, applied research, innovation and infrastructure development, social development and environmental development. These would cost GH¢120million to be realised within the five-year period.
According to him, the principal objectives of TTU’s institutional development is to re-brand the university’s image as well as transform the administrative processes to become more responsive to stakeholders.
“Also, we will resource our lecture halls, conference halls, laboratories and libraries with state-of-the-art technology; and we will make strategic use of ICT as an enabler to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.
“To increase our enrolments, TTU will offer on-line courses to reach out so a critical mass of students can pursue programmes, as well as expand hostel facilities to keep pace with the increasing population. We also have a plan to build a multi-purpose administrative block to provide the much-needed impetus to facilitate office administration,” he added.
Rev. Eshun said in order to mobilise resources to support significant growth in applied research and innovation, TTU will network and partner with institutions – both national and international, as well as stakeholders and industry for development.
“To be internationally competitive, we need to connect our research system to social and economic development. The link between research and teaching becomes critical, especially, when we are seeking solutions to our problems. We must blaze a new trail in contemporary research. We should be seen to be making a significant national and global contribution to research and development,” he said.
In this regard, he said, TTU has developed a robust funding framework for spearheading the strategic plan’s implementation.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education, called on TTU to train graduates who are critical thinkers. “Critical thinking prepares the students for the future, and they also change the economy of a country. A lot needs to be done, the destiny of the country is in your hands; think and act differently for the fortunes of the economy to be turned around,” he added.
He noted that nations which have transformed their tertiary education are those who have invested. “This is a voluntary activity from the TTU and you must be commended; higher education is what will take us to our destination,” he said, urging the university to set up a development office – and it should be their priority. “The ministry is ever ready to support in this direction, and ensure a level playing field.”
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister, lauded TTU for the strategic plan and for developing a new Traffic Control System for the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.
He pledged the Regional Coordinating Council’s support to ensure that the five-year strategic plan is achieved. “It is our wish that the strategic plan for TTU will make it the best university in the country,” he said.
Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, said the country’s education can be achieved through conscious education, and urged TTU to focus on this direction. “We need the right mindset, policies, resources among others to advance.”
