The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) has organised an orientation for its newly appointed teaching staff to set them in the right frame to offer excellent services in the areas of teaching, research, and community service.

The orientation covered an exposition of AAMUSTED’s vision, core values, strategic priorities, quality assurance, and institutional expectations. They were also equipped with the necessary tools to excel in their new roles.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Frederick K. Sarfo’s keynote address read on his behalf by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Boateng, congratulated the newly recruited faculty members for successfully passing the university’s rigorous recruitment process.

As the staff of AAMUSTED, he urged them to commit to living beyond reproach and offer their services in ways that would appeal to the diverse stakeholder base of the University and improve the University’s image.

The Vice-Chancellor conceded the University still had a huge staff deficit that urgently needed addressing. He said the Management of AAMUSTED was working around the clock to secure governmental financial clearance. In that light, he encouraged the new staff to work hard while waiting for the time the University could recruit enough staff to ease the heavy workload that staff currently joggled.

Meanwhile, he expressed happiness that the University had made some significant improvements, highlighting the growth of its student population from just over 20,000 in the 2020/2021 academic year to about 38,000 in the 2024/2025 academic year. He was hopeful that their appointment would help adequately attend to the increasing student numbers, cautioning them that they could not fail.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor later made a presentation about Best Practices and AAMUSTED’s expectations of the new staff, providing insightful guidance on how to navigate the complexities of teaching, research, and community service. He asked them to become lifelong learners to keep pace with the ever-changing circumstances in the education sector. Prof. Boateng reminded the new staff of their role as mentors for students and encouraged them to adhere strictly to professional standards.

For his part, the Dean of the Graduate School, Prof. Humphrey Danso, offered insights into the institutional culture and advised them to acquaint themselves with AAMUSTED’s key regulatory documents and policies so they do not violate procedures and processes, and embarrass themselves and the University. He also asked them to eschew vices and work together to build and protect the AAMUSTED brand.

The Dean of Student Affairs and Acting Director of the Quality Assurance and Planning Unit (QAPA), Prof. Francis Ohene Boateng, speaking on Quality Assurance in Higher Education, urged the new staff to uphold the highest standards of quality, describing quality as “the soul of AAMUSTED that cannot be compromised under any circumstances.” He encouraged them to prioritise learner-centered teaching approaches, foster innovation, and integrate 21st-century technologies during their contact hours.

 

The Dean of the Faculty of Technical Education (FTE) Prof. Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi, speaking on AAMUSTED’s 5-year Strategic Plan, described AAMUSTED as “the university for the future,” highlighting its status as the only Competency-Based Training (CBT) accredited center in Ghana. He thus encouraged the new staff to align their teaching and research with the strategic plan and seek grants, participate in national research projects, and publish impactful research widely to enhance their academic footprint.

Other speakers included the Acting Director of Human Resource, Mrs. Goddana M. Darko, and the Director of University Information Communication Technology Services, Mr. Nicholas Donkor.

One of the participants, Assistant Lecturer Franco Osei-Owusu, described the orientation as transformative and inspiring. To him, the event has provided not just clarity, but motivation. “We now know the standard expected of us and the institutional machinery behind us to help us succeed,” he said.