GCTU Business School Holds Roundtable Conference With Industry Experts
The GCTU Business School has once again demonstrated its commitment to the professional development of its students by hosting an insightful roundtable conference with a collection of representatives from some of Ghana’s foremost corporate institutions.
Organized under the theme, “Expectations of Skill set for Business Graduates in Ghana”, the mini roundtable conference was held on Wednesday, 26th July 2023 at the GCTU Business School campus. In addition to the various institutional representatives, the program was attended by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Robert Ebo Hinson, the Dean of the Business School, Prof. George Oppong Ampong, the Director of the Institute of Continuing and Distance of Education, Prof. Frank Gyimah Sackey, the Dean of the Office of Student Affairs, Dr. Michael Nana Owusu-Akomeah, the Director of Quality Assurance and Promotion, Dr. Godwin Utuka, and the Business School Faculty Officer, Mr. Francis Edjah.
A number of Business School Faculty were also present, including the Heads of the various Departments, Dr. Richard Asravor, Dr. David King Boison, Dr. Emelia Amoako Asiedu, and Dr. Emmanuel Attah Kumah, in addition to Mr. Peter Lawer Angmor, Mr. Derrick Ofori Donkor, and Dr. Michelle Afrifah.
The event began with Prof. Ampong giving those in attendance the opportunity to introduce themselves, after which Mr. Francis Edjah officially welcomed everyone and introduced Prof. Robert Ebo Hinson as the Moderator for the programme. In his remarks to the attendants, Prof. Hinson spoke about the integral nature of the link between academia and industry, stating “All successful Universities that are forward thinking look at industry to check what it expects (from graduates)”
He also alluded to the University’s ICT-focused mandate and assured the visiting institutions’ representatives that due to the digitally savvy nature of the institution, it is in a prime position to provide industry players with the kind of graduates that would offer innovative and sustainable solutions. Representing the Registrar, Dr. Utuka applauded the timely nature of the event and asserted his belief that such an initiative would have a huge impact on the University, bearing in mind its current trajectory.
Before the Roundtable discussion kicked off, the Dean of the Business School, Prof. Ampong, offered some background about the GCTU Business School, delivering a concise and informative presentation regarding the various Departments, programmes, and co-curricular activities on offer. He spoke about the benefit of such programmes, lauding their potential to further align students with the specific expectations of industry.
Addressing the representatives from the visiting institutions, Prof. Ampong said, “We want you to partner with us to help us shape our students so that they can provide you with you what you want. We also want you to help us shape our programs so they can align with what is relevant to industry and business”
The main segment of the event then began, with representatives from the Bank of Ghana, BTL Branding, First Atlantic Bank, Ghana Enterprises Agency, and the Institute of Project Management Professionals taking turns to outline some of the major expectations, challenges and development insights which are applicable to the modern graduate.
Among some of the key points of emphasis were the importance of cultivating the right attitude, the ability to develop soft skills, the development of an enterprising attitude and an understanding that there are specific competencies required for specific roles.
In addition, it was highlighted that, for prospective job applicants, it is important to ensure that an alignment with company values is exhibited, in order to show potential employers that there is a willingness to make relevant and significant contributions to the company’s strategic development.
As the discussion drew to an end, the Dean of the Business School gave an overview of the proceedings, emphasizing that, as a Faculty, it is fundamental that their programmes, teaching methods and curriculum content are all relevant to industry.
He reiterated his conviction that events such as this, coupled with the University’s existing focus on industry collaboration would certainly play a major role in bridging the gap between the classroom and the cut-throat, results-driven corporate environment.
Prof. Hinson officially brought the program to a close, thanking those in attendance for coming and sharing his final thoughts by highlighting his perspective on the importance of humility, personal development and innovation. He said, “Humility is required to consistently reinvent yourself and to succeed.
You can never be too big to learn something new and here at GCTU, we will continue to leverage on our collaborations with industry as we grow and develop ourselves.”
Without a doubt, the programme was a rousing success, with a host of eye-opening and educative insights emerging from the discussions. We certainly look forward to similar programs in the future as we continue to create a platform for the holistic development of our students and indeed the University as a whole.
