Tamale, May 1, GNA – The University for Development Studies (UDS) has launched an Endowment Fund to raise GHc100 million within the next four years to support infrastructural development and research activities at the University.
The fund to be known as University for Development Studies Endowment Fund (UDSEF) will also support scholarships for needy and talented students, who require financial assistance to complete their studies at the University.
Professor Wayo Seini, the Chairman of the Governing Council of UDS, launched the UDSEF during the UDS’ special congregation in Tamale on Saturday.
A total of 425 graduates, comprising 145 post graduate students and 280 undergraduate sandwich nursing and midwifery students, graduated during the congregation.
UDS’ main mandate is to provide world class pro-poor scholarship that blends academic work with practical field-oriented research and animation aimed at addressing community problems.
Professor Seini said, “Sadly, even though each year, UDS continues to receive a large number of qualified applicants for its programmes, it is unable to admit a good number due to insufficient academic facilities.”
Besides a good number of UDS’ students are unable to pay their fees, a situation, which compelled them to either defer their studies or drop-out completely while some fresh applicants and continuing students also applied to Management of the University for financial support, which is not available.
He said these situations informed the decision and motivation to establish the UDSEF to provide additional funds to complement the government’s efforts to ensure that the University delivered its mandate.
He said, “it is my hope that we will continue working together for the betterment of our nation through quality education ” expressing appreciation to the UDS community for their cooperation and support over the years.
Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye, the Vice-Chancellor of UDS, also underscored the importance of the UDSEF, saying “We need multimillion-cedi investments to construct new buildings, laboratories, classrooms and purchase equipment.”
Professor Teye said the government continued to provide funding to support our operations but such support needed to be complemented through other initiatives and alternative funding sources to support infrastructural development and research.
He, therefore, called on corporate bodies, individual philanthropists, staff, students and alumni of the University to generously contribute to the fund.
Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Deputy Minister of Education, commended UDS for supporting efforts of the government to reintegrate Ghanaian students, who returned from Ukraine, to continue their studies.
Reverend Fordjour also lauded the University for launching the UDSEF, saying it would complement government’s efforts in providing infrastructural facilities for the University.
He said government was determined to ensure that by 2030, 60 per cent of admissions into tertiary institutions would be for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programmes as against humanities.
Meanwhile, a seven-member Board of Trustees of the UDSEF was inaugurated to lead efforts to raise the needed funds.
By Albert Futukpor, GNA
