Current News | Archived News | Media Coverage | Subscribe to email newsletter

• Renaissance Network hosts "Blow Your Mind Series (June 2005)
• Ashesi hosts "Discovering Your Career Path" student conference (June 2005)
• Ashesi awarded prize for the best university web site in Ghana (June 2005)
• Clausen Center sends IBD team to Ashesi (May 2005)
• Ashesi student selected for "Excellence from the Start" internship (May 2005)

Renaissance Network hosts "Blow Your Mind Series" at Ashesi
June 29th, 2005

From the 29^th June 2005 to 30^th June 2005, the Renaissance Network, a Ghanaian think tank organized a seminar dubbed “Blow Your Mind Series” at the Ashesi University in Accra. The two day seminar was organized to educate individuals about the deteriorating state of the university educational system in Ghana and to discuss ways to bring about innovation and change.  

Hosted by Lloyd Amoah, Director of Renaissance Network, the program was packed with personnel from diverse institutions and sectors in Ghana. Among the invited panel of speakers were Patrick Awuah (President Ashesi University), Mr. David Ampofo (Channel 2 Communications), Dr. Kwaku Osafo (EU Micro Projects Unit), and Mrs. Florence Hutchful (Standard Chartered Bank).

Seminar discussions ranged from curriculum reform to educational funding.  Speakers agreed that a focus should be made on instituting curriculum reform that included courses that feature ethics, citizenship and leadership.  Speakers also emphasized that Universities and Polytechnics needed to do a better job of encouraging students to apply what they were learning while still in school.  Business managers stated that employees often had to be retrained because they were ill prepared to use such tools as computers that are used in the workplace and have trouble solving problems on their own.  Finally speakers discussed the need to reexamine of how education was financed to ensure that schools and teachers have the resources the need to provide quality education.

The mission of seminar organizers, Renaissance Network, is to transform Ghana’s fortunes into reality; fortunes of character, purpose, belief, ambition, vision, discipline and hard work.  By hosting public discussions on key issues facing Ghana in the 21^st Century Renaissance Network hopes to develop solutions that can be implemented and bring about positive change.

Ashesi hosts "Discovering Your Career Path" student conference
June 25, 2005

Ashesi organized a day’s seminar on the theme “Discovering Your Career Path” for five second cycle institutions in the Central Region.  The seminar was to prepare the students for choosing a career path as they got ready to enter the university.

The speakers at the seminar were Dr. Patrick Awuah, the President of Ashesi University, Ms. Adelaide Ahwireng, Managing Director of FIO Enterprises, Linda Fiah, a final year Business Administration major at Ashesi University and Derrydean Dadzie, a third year Computer Science major of Ashesi University.

The speakers in addressing the theme of the seminar said there was a difference between a job and a career.  A career is something that can be discovered through active involvement in extra curricular activities, pursuance of ones passion and vision coupled with hard work and perseverance.  These activities unearth certain hidden talents and skills within a person.  It is important to strive for excellence and to be determined to gain success from scratch.  The speakers agreed that success is not the availability of money but the ability to affect another person’s life.  The seminar came to an end on this food for thought from Dr Patrick Awuah; “a good career is trying to live a most excellent life. Your integrity, competence, persistence and passion is all about leading a most excellent life”.

The students expressed their gratitude and satisfaction for the seminar since it provided answers to some of their nagging concerns about their choice of future careers.   

Ashesi awarded prize for the best university web site in Ghana
June 16, 2005

Ashesi University has won the award for best University web site from the Regional Informatics Network for Africa (RINAF).  The award was announced by Prof. Christine Kisiedu, faculty member in the Department of Information Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon and Chair of the Ghana National Committee on Internet Connectivity (GNCIC), which presided over the competition.

RINAF, the competition sponsor, is a program of the United Nations Education Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO).  In explaining the competition Prof. Kisiedu stated, "The competition was conceived to promote the development of web design programs on university campuses.  By creating an atmosphere of competition we hoped to encourage creativity and innovation among the participants."   Prof. Kisiedu declared Ashesi's website "a class apart."  

Nine websites representing seven Ghanaian Universities participated in the competition.  Decisions were made based on six criteria, each carrying a top score of 10 marks.  Below are the results for the top three schools:

1. Ashesi University, www.ashesi.edu.gh. - 54 points
2. Central University College, www.centraluniversity.org - 42 points
3. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, www.knust.edu.gh - 41 points

Clausen Center sends IBD team to Ashesi
May 30, 2005

Four International Business Development students from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley were received in Ghana at Ashesi University in May 2005.  The International Business Development program is a global management consultancy sponsored by the Clausen Center for International Business and Policy. The team travelled to Ghana to conduct research on the higher education market and develop a strategy for the university to continue to attract exceptional students. The team was in Accra for three weeks and surveyed Ashesi students, secondary school students, and parents.  

In an interview the team stated that Ashesi University was on its way to establishing itself as a "premier university in Ghana." Team member Pavan stated, "Ashesi in the future would face challenges in attracting the best students in Ghana; it is our hope that our research would be useful as the university expands." The team said that they were glad to come to Ashesi and experience what it has to offer.

Ashesi student selected for "Excellence from Start" internship
June 10, 2005
 

Between April-May 2005 the best students from tertiary institutions across the country were invited to participate in British American Tobacco's "Excellence from Start", an internship program designed to engage the finest students from top notch universities in Ghana.  Over a hundred students were selected from across the country to compete for six positions at BAT.  Nine students from Ashesi were selected to participate in the competition that included an aptitude test and individual and group presentations to a panel of judges.

Adjoa Asamoah Tabi Asiamah, a third year Computer Science student from Ashesi University was selected as one of the six finalists. She is the only female among the selected six finalists. For six weeks, Adjoa and the other finalists will be exposed to all facets of the company's departments and will gain insight into the inner workings of a major multinational company.   This is a very unique opportunity and will give Adjoa and the other students insight into the workings of a company that is competing at a global level.

British American Tobacco Ghana is a subsidiary to one of the world's largest tobacco groups and has been operating in Ghana since 1952. British American Tobacco is committed to improving productivity in all areas of business as well as consolidating their reputation as a responsible tobacco company. Being seven-times winner of the non-traditional export award and two-times of the agro-forestry award, they offer a good record in training individuals in a multinational company environment.

Back to top

Copyright © Ashesi University Foundation. All rights reserved.