Accra Technical University (ATU) has launched its five-year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) to guide the institution’s development in competency-based education, digital transformation, research and industry collaboration.
This is to strengthen industry-relevant training, enhance research and innovation, improve infrastructure and position the university to respond effectively to emerging technological and economic demands.
The strategic document, which was presented by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Amevi Acakpovi, outlines the university’s vision to become the preferred technical university in Africa for industry impact, emerging technology and sustainability.
The strategic plan reflects the university’s commitment to strengthening research, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing digital transformation and building stronger partnerships with industry.
Roadmap
Presenting the outcomes of the plan, Prof. Acakpovi said the strategy was developed through a comprehensive planning process that involved a review of institutional documents, stakeholder consultations and benchmarking with peer institutions.
He said the process included a SWOT analysis and a gap assessment to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the university.
Prof Acakpovi said the strategic framework aligned with national development priorities which are the Ghana Long-Term National Development Plan (2018–2057), the Education Strategic Plan (2018–2030) and international frameworks including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prof. Acakpovi explained that the university’s mandate, as provided under Act 922, included ensuring equitable access to education, delivering competency-based and practice-oriented training and strengthening collaboration between the university and industry.
The Vice-Chancellor said the plan was structured around seven strategic pillars that will guide the university’s development over the five-year period.
The first pillar he said, would focus on competency-based training and future-ready teaching and learning to produce graduates with employable skills.
The second pillar, he added, centred on digital transformation and modernised infrastructure to improve teaching, research and institutional management.
Prof Acakpovi added that the third pillar was focused on quality assurance, institutional excellence and compliance, aimed at strengthening internal systems and promoting accountability.
Industry-driven applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship form the fourth pillar, with emphasis on collaboration with industry to develop practical solutions to societal challenges.
The fifth pillar focuses on staff development, motivation and welfare through professional development opportunities, recruitment and improved working conditions.
The sixth pillar promotes strategic partnerships and increased visibility through collaborations with national and international institutions and increased international student enrolment, while the seventh pillar focuses on sustainability and green technology through energy efficiency initiatives, waste management and environmentally responsible practices.
Transformation
The Director for Tertiary, at the Ministry of Education, Dr Emmanuel Newman, who delivered the keynote address, said the strategic plan represented a roadmap for institutional transformation.
He said technical universities must play a central role in industrial and economic development by producing skilled graduates and practical innovations.
Strategic plan
The Chairman of the ATU Governing Council, Prof. Ernest Abotsi, described the launch of the strategic plan as a historic moment for the university.
He urged members of the university community to ensure that the plan did not remain a document but became a guide for daily operations.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh