Looking for a bigger salary so you can support yourself and your family comfortably in the middle of inflation? Then you should look no further than these seven must-have skills, as identified by Coursera in its “7 High-Income Skills Worth Learning In 2024” report.

It’s no secret that learning new skills can set you at a greater advantage for your career—not only when seeking to secure a new job, but also when launching your own business venture as a freelancer or when building your side hustle.

But learning a high-income skill is even better.

What Is A High-Income Skill?

Compared to other skill sets (soft skills and technical skills included), high-income skills are a set of soft and technical skills that are in high demand within the workplace, and within certain industries and markets.

Consequently, employers (or clients if you are a freelancer), are willing to pay a premium for talent who possess these skills because they are a rare breed (as least for now until this article and the Coursera report gets popular). They are also willing to pay higher salaries because they know just how crucial these skills are to the successful running of their business operations.

To give a rather obvious example, a CEO is generally paid much more than any other executive, manager, or employee for that matter, in part because there are less professionals with CEO capabilities and potential to fill that particular role than there are middle managers or other employees, and also because the CEO is absolutely indispensable to the needs of the business, to drive it forward.

These two factors—the skilled talent shortage and the indispensable nature of the role—are two important priorities to consider and look out for when seeking to retrain or upskill yourself. As a rule of thumb, if you have a high-income skill, your career is more likely to be agile and withstand external pressures such as layoffs or market changes, because these skills can be transferred almost anywhere, so you will be able to bounce if needed.

7 High-Income Skills

On a side note, surprisingly, in Coursera’s analysis, AI (artificial intelligence) did not feature in their list of high-income, in-demand skills to learn in 2024. Might this be because the hype around AI is starting to fizzle out? Are professionals and employers still recognizing the value of integrating AI into their workplaces and implementing AI tools across their workflow? Or do they already have all they need to know? Perhaps that is a question for another time.

However, it is interesting to note that some of the skills listed in the report relate in some way to AI integration and development—such as data analysis and software development, for example.

Back to the point—the seven high-income skills Coursera listed are:

1. Data analysis
2. Software development
3. User experience
4. Web development
5. Project management
6. Account management
7. Content creation and management

7 Free Online Courses (With Certificates)

Here are seven online courses that are not only free (meaning you have no excuses to not start a course today), but also come with certifications and/or badges—which gives you a sense of pride and adds a stamp of validity to all your hard work and studies:

1. Free Data Analysis Courses With Harvard

Harvard University might be viewed as an Ivy League school out of most people’s pocket range, but they do offer a range of free data science and data analysis courses accessible to anyone, that you can study online. While the courses are free, you may need to pay if you want the certificate—but this is much cheaper than paying for an entire course and is well worth it if you wish to prove your skills to employers or business clients.

2. Google For Developers Platform

Google has a platform dedicated to aspiring developers which includes a vast list of developer education, helpful if you wish to be a software developer, especially for Android. While they may not provide a certificate per se, they give you a quiz at the end of their courses and you receive a badge on your developer profile. With parental consent, learners can start as early as 13 years old.

3. Google UX Design Certificate

Google offers a free course and certification via its educational arm, to help aspiring user experience professionals learn the skills they need for the workplace. This UX Design certification is offered via Coursera.

4. HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers by Johns Hopkins University

Provided by Johns Hopkins University, this introductory course also comes with a free certificate, and its content is available free if you require and are eligible for financial aid.

5. Google Project Management Certificate

When it comes to project management certifications, we often think about industry-leading certificates such as those offered by the PMI (Project Management Institute). But when it comes to the world of free project management certificates, Google’s career certificate in project management tops the rest.

6. Customer Relationship Management Certification by Great Learning

Provided by Great Learning, this CRM course covers the fundamentals of relationship management as a sales professional handling business accounts, and also comes with a free certificate.

7. Digital Marketing Course: Get Certified in Digital Marketing, by HubSpot

HubSpot offers an extensive range of free certifications via its HubSpot Academy, and one of the courses with certificates that it offers for free is its digital marketing certification. It covers topics including SEO and social media.

This list of free courses and certifications proves that anyone can learn a high-income skill. Even if you have no desire to work directly within these fields, you can still learn these skills and apply them to your work function. For example, if you work as a manager, gaining a project management certification may not be necessary, but may help you stand out from other employees, enabling you to be well-recommended for promotions or a pay raise, as you have more niche skills. A skill set within digital marketing can come handy if you’re a freelancer seeking to market your services effectively. Ultimately, not only is it the case that everyone can learn a high-income skill, but everyone should learn a high-income skill if they wish to have a thriving career.

Source: Forbes.com, Author:Rachel Wells

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Cassidy Hale has persevered through numerous obstacles and is finishing her undergraduate career strong.

Hale has pursued a degree in biomedical sciences with a concentration in environmental public health. She first began her education at Colorado State University in the fall of 2016 as a first-generation student.

Moving away from her hometown of Aztec, New Mexico, was a core goal of Hale’s after experiencing difficulties at home. Hale was estranged from her parents and relied on the support of extended family members for guidance.

“I didn’t know what to do with financial aid,” Hale said. “I didn’t know the culture of a university. It was a big learning curve, so it took a long time for me to really understand the importance of reaching out for help and finding the right resources.”

Hale originally began her studies as a psychology major before diving into her passion for health and humanity. She also participated in events through the Environmental Health Student Association from time to time.

“I think that’s one thing that my major has given me is this passion for how the environment interacts with human health,” Hale said.

In the fall of 2019, due to personal circumstances, Hale left CSU to prioritize her well-being. She would return in the fall of 2022 after reconnecting with extended family that offered to assist in finishing her undergraduate education.

When Hale returned, she held true to earning her degree with a new perspective. She also set the goal of making the dean’s list every semester, which she has successfully achieved since.

In addition to outside factors impacting Hale’s undergraduate route, she also had to navigate troubling financial aid agreements and appreciates the resources her academic advisor provided. Although she wishes she started her college career with a better idea of university life and financial aspects, she believes it all happened for a reason.

“If things don’t work out, it’s not the end of the world,” Hale said. “It feels very much like if college doesn’t work out or if some class doesn’t work out or, you know, something doesn’t go the right way that it might be the end of the world, but it’s really not. When one door closes, the next one opens, and you’ve just got to be kind of open to other things and other opportunities.” 

Following graduation, Hale wants to pursue medical school or a Ph.D. program with a focus on treatment or research for radiation therapy for cancer.

Source: Source.colostate.edu

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Columbia University has cancelled its university-wide commencement ceremony after it cracked down on student protests in support of Palestinians, a campus movement that spurred a wave of similar demonstrations around the world.

In a statement on Monday morning, Columbia said it would prioritise “Class Days and school-level ceremonies, where students are honored individually alongside their peers, rather than the University-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15”.

Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families,” it said.

The decision comes just days after the Columbia administration called New York City police onto campus to disperse students who had occupied a school building and erected a protest encampment to show solidarity with Palestinians.

The students have demanded an end to Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip and urged Columbia to divest from any companies that are complicit in Israeli abuses against Palestinians.

The Columbia protest encampment and subsequent crackdown by police — during which hundreds of people were arrested — inspired similar initiatives at universities across the United States, as well as in Canada, France and the United Kingdom.

University administrators have accused pro-Palestinian demonstrators of using anti-Semitic language and creating an unsafe environment on campus.

US President Joe Biden made similar claims during a speech last week addressing the protest movement.

Dissent is essential to democracy, but dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education,” Biden said on Thursday. “There’s a right to protest but not the right to cause chaos.”

But the demonstrators have rejected those allegations, saying the decision to send police officers to break up the Gaza encampments and arrest participants is what put students in harm’s way.

Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane, reporting on Monday from a Gaza encompment at George Washington University in Washington, DC, said the protest there has “definitely grown” in recent days.

“There’s tent after tent of water or food, and signs saying, ‘Everything is free just like Palestine will be one day,’” Culhane said.

Mariam, a Jewish student demonstrator who spoke to Al Jazeera using only her first name, said anti-Semitism allegations are intended to divert attention from Gaza.

It’s meant to take the focus away from the genocide in Gaza, and it is meant to take the focus away from our demands,” she said.

Those demands include protecting pro-Palestinian speech on campus, divesting from the Israeli state and ending academic partnerships with Israeli institutions.

“We are going to stay here,” Mariam added. “It doesn’t matter what the police do, what the university administration does. We are going to keep fighting until our demands are met.”

Monday’s announcement at Columbia also came as The Israeli military ordered Palestinians  in eastern Rafah, part of the southern Gaza Strip, to leave the area before an expected ground assault.

Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said in a statement that a Rafah offensive “could lead to the deadliest phase of this conflict, inflicting horrific suffering on approximately 1.4 million displaced civilians in the area”.

manitarian crisis and a lack of food, water and medical supplies.

“Rafah had become the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of families, deprived of any semblance of safety. With nowhere else to go, they are facing the threat of prolonged displacement and death,” Egeland said.

Source: Al Jazeera

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Tiara Abraham received her master’s degree from Indiana University on Friday. This achievement makes her the youngest to do so at all IU campuses statewide as of 2024, and next up is her doctorate.

“Today was a whirlwind of emotions. It was full of joy,” Abraham said.

The teen graduated from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a master’s degree in vocal music. She accomplished it all before she even got her driver’s license.

“A lot of hard work and perseverance, just like a lot of other graduates. That’s how we got here, and I’m just really proud of myself,” she said.

The California teen moved across the country with her mother at age 16 to enter the IU master’s program in music, one of the top schools in the world.

“I started college at the age of seven, community college, so I definitely got used to being the youngest in class,” she said.

Now, she is the youngest person to earn this degree across all IU campuses in 2024, and has done so throughout her academic career with a 4.0 GPA.

“We are very proud of her. Completing a master’s degree at such a young age is amazing. This is her time,” said her father, Bijou Abraham.

“It’s just that looking back on the last two years, the challenges she had and how she persevered. She is courageous and has worked hard,” her mother, Dr. Taji Abraham, added. “Now it’s time for her to celebrate and we’re just happy to see that success.”

Tiara Abraham joined Mensa at age 4, started college at age 7, and celebrated her Sweet 16 with a bachelor’s degree from UC Davis in California.

It is the same school where her elder brother Tanishq received his PhD at the age of 19.

For Abraham, it’s not just about reading the textbooks. The child prodigy also has a passion for music. She started classical voice training when she was only 7 years old.

“Since then I’ve performed all over the world. I’ve performed at Carnegie Hall, and internationally in Italy and the Vatican. It’s been so fun to be able to perform because it’s something I really enjoy,” Abraham said. .

Although the teenager is used to being the youngest in the room, that is not always easy when it comes to classical music.

“A lot of times some people will kind of reject me because they say I’m too young,” she said.

The teenager has not let this discourage her from learning more over the years.

“She wants to learn. She wants to grow. She wants to be right, we have at least four or five languages. We have to be able to sing, like French, Italian, German, English and sometimes Spanish,” Patricia Stiles explains. , an IU professor of music (voice) who has worked with Abraham for the past two years.

“She just wants it to be good; she wants to do the best she can,” she added.

Now the teenager has her sights set on an even brighter future.

“I’m staying here at Indiana University for my PhD.”

After that, the teenager wants to continue breaking down barriers on the big stage.

“My dream job is to perform all over the world in established opera houses and make people happy with my voice,” she said.

“I really believe in the power of music, and I’m blessed with a beautiful voice, and I just want to take advantage of that,” she said.

Over the years, Abraham has been invited to sing at various commencement ceremonies in many famous places. She will sing the national anthem at IU’s undergraduate ceremony on Saturday.

Source: Saffron Restaurant, Author: Vaseline

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In the spring of 2024, Dayley made the journey from Utah to New Hampshire to walk across the stage at Southern New Hampshire University after completing her degree online. Dayley said earning her master’s degree had been on her bucket list for most of her life.

“I’m so excited,” Dayley said. “It is really exciting to be here, to walk across the stage, to realize that I’ve accomplished something that’s very important to me.”

I’m so excited,” Dayley said. “It is really exciting to be here, to walk across the stage, to realize that I’ve accomplished something that’s very important to me.”

Dayley said four of her five children have earned their bachelor’s degree, and one has their master’s degree. The fifth child teaches at an international school in Italy and is taking night classes, Dayley said.

“It’s never too late to get your education when it’s ready for you,” Dayley said. “It has to be the right time. It’s not always the right time.”

Dayley said she received support from her family while she was completing her master’s degree, which was focused on creative writing.

“My grandchildren and my children are very supportive,” Dayley said. “They thought it was very exciting when I said, ‘I’m going back to get my master’s degree.’”

She said her family was there for her and helped her when she got discouraged.

“One of the most difficult parts of getting my master’s degree, of course, was that my health isn’t the best at age 80,” Dayley said. “But it worked out just fine.”

Dayley got her degree through an online program, which she said enabled her to not put things on hold. She got back surgery when she had a week off and was able to continue her studies when school resumed. During a different week off, she and her granddaughter went to Scotland.

“It’s important for me to be able to live a life while earning my master’s degree, and not just say, ‘I have to give up everything,’” Dayley said.

Dayley said the timing wasn’t right to continue her education in her 20s and 30s, as she had three children in three years. Then she got her bachelor’s degree at the age of 43 and retired at the age of 65.

“I think it’s important, if you want the education, that you do it,” Dayley said. “It’s never too late.”

Dayley said school and lifelong learning are important to her, and that learning will help keep her mind fresh.

“I want to learn,” Dayley said. “And I want to keep learning.”

Source:Yahoo.com, Author: Trevor Myers

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Nearly 60 years after Atlanta native and engineer Ronald Yancey overcame barriers to become Georgia Institute of Technology’s first Black graduate, he presented his granddaughter with her diploma as she followed in her family’s footsteps.

Deanna Yancey, who is among a few of her relatives to have attended the public research university also known as Georgia Tech, graduated with a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering at Friday’s spring commencement ceremony.

As she walked across the stage at the university’s McCamish Pavilion, she greeted her grandfather with a smile and a hug, and he handed her the hard-earned diploma, an Instagram clip from Georgia Tech shows.

The elder Yancey’s June 1965 achievement was recognized on-campus with a sculpture of him dedicated in 2019, according to Georgia Tech.

The university says it was the first in the Deep South to integrate peacefully and without a court order. Georgia Tech admitted its first Black students in 1961.

Deanna Yancey, who earned an undergraduate engineering degree from Penn State University in 2020, says she didn’t initially tell her family she was applying for an online master’s program at her grandfather’s alma mater, according to a news release from Georgia Tech.

“When I got in, I got to read the acceptance email to my grandfather,” Deanna Yancey said in the release. “He was so happy. He almost started jumping; he was so excited.”

She acknowledged her grandfather as a trailblazer at Georgia Tech.

“It’s a different world to be known for something especially as powerful as a movement as he was able to start,” the new graduate said in a video clip played at Friday’s ceremony.

It’s a different world to be known for something especially as powerful as a movement as he was able to start,” the new graduate said in a video clip played at Friday’s ceremony.

Courtesy Deanna Yancey

Deanna Yancey smiles with a statue of her grandfather, Ronald, who was the first Black student to graduate from Georgia Tech in 1965.

Ronald Yancey was rejected twice from Georgia Tech in the 1960s, and he and his family were told he “did not fit the Tech model for success,” according to a 2015 news release from the university.

In the meantime, he attended Morehouse, a historically Black college/university. “Morehouse did not have an engineering program, though, so in the spring of 1961, Yancey again applied to Tech,” the release stated.

He was accepted upon the condition that he retook the SAT and passed a summer class, according to Georgia Tech.

“Once on campus, (Ronald) Yancey was cautioned against using public transportation or attending any athletic events for his own safety,” the news release said. “He endured isolation; no one would sit near him in the classroom. He never had a lab partner. He did all of his papers and exams in ink so he could not be accused of cheating or have his work tampered with.”

Ronald Yancey also had to complete graduation requirements not asked of other seniors, who were exempt from taking final exams. He, however, spent his last three weeks at Georgia Tech taking 18 exams across five classes, according to the university.

“To ensure that he made the grade, he requested and was given an additional six-hour exam for extra credit. He also had to write a 30-page paper on transistor theory,” the release stated.

Ronald Yancey defied the odds and earned his electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech 59 years before his granddaughter would achieve a similar feat.

“We are extremely proud that Deanna took the initiative to select her field, to quietly and quickly apply, arrange her curriculum and follow through with the completion of her matriculation,” the elder Yancey said in the news release. “Deanna’s graduate degree is truly an impressive achievement.”

Source: CNN, Author: Ashley R. Williams

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After a meeting with Columbia University President Minouche Shafix, House Speaker Mike Johnson called on her to resign Wednesday if she can’t tamp down Gaza war protest at the school and threatened federal funding for colleges that don’t create safe environments for their Jewish students.

“We just can’t allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses. And it must be stopped in its tracks. Those who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested,” Johnson, R-La., said on the steps of Columbia’s Low Library, flanked by several of his Republican colleagues.

“I am here today joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos,” he continued. “As speaker of the House, I’m committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes hiding in fear.”

Johnson’s appearance was met by boos and heckling from the crowd. After he ended his news conference, someone yelled: “Get the f— out of here!”

The protesters chanted “We can’t hear you” and “Mike, you suck!”

Students also chanted “Free Palestine.” From where Johnson stood, he could look out beyond the crowd of student protesters and see the tent encampment.

At one point Johnson shook his head and said, “Enjoy your free speech.”

Johnson’s delegation met with Shafik and top university officials, urging them to do more to stop the harassment of Jewish students at Columbia and to end the pro-Palestinian encampment that has sprung up on the campus. Other college campuses around the country have been the scenes of similar demonstrations against Israel’s war in Gaza.

Johnson said in an interview after his speech that he respects the right to protest but that he thought the students on campus had crossed into harassment.

“It’s always nuanced to control to allow students a free marketplace of ideas and allow that to be unimpeded, and that is the role and responsibility of a government institution and even a private one,” said Johnson, a former constitutional lawyer. “But in this case, the reason we’re here today is because this has crossed the line. And I think almost every American of good conscience and good faith understands that.”

Responding to GOP calls for Shafik’s resignation, the Columbia University Board of Trustees said in a statement Wednesday it “strongly supports President Shafik as she steers the university through this extraordinarily challenging time.”

“During the search process for this role, President Shafik told us that she would always take a thoughtful approach to resolving conflict, balancing the disparate voices that make up a vibrant campus like Columbia’s, while taking a firm stance against hatred, harassment and discrimination. That’s exactly what she’s doing now,” the board said. “We are urgently working with her to help resolve the situation on campus and rebuild the bonds of our community; we encourage everyone who cares about Columbia to join us in that effort.”

A rabbi connected with Columbia urged Jewish students this week to leave campus amid the protests, and the university soon thereafter said it was moving to hybrid learning to ensure student safety. Students have described being harassed and heckled as they tried to move across campus.

Asked by a reporter whether he agrees with some Republicans who have called on the National Guard to break up the Columbia encampment, Johnson said he plans to call President Joe Biden after his visit and “share with him what we have seen with our own two eyes and demand that he take action.”

“If this is not contained quickly, and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard. We have to bring order to these campuses,” he said.

He then issued this threat to colleges: “If these campuses cannot get control of this problem, they do not deserve taxpayer dollars,” adding that House Republicans will be working on legislation to address the situation.

Shafik testified last week before the House Education Committee about antisemitism on campus. On Wednesday, the committee’s chair, Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., also threatened Shafik with congressional action.

“I have a message, President Shafik, and a message for you all, too: The inmates are running the asylum. Take back control of this once great institution,” Foxx said at Columbia. “You took action last week. It’s time to act again. If not, the committee will pursue every possible avenue to create a safe learning environment for Jewish students.”

Members of the New York Republican delegation — Reps. Mike Lawler, Nicole Malliotakis and Anthony D’Esposito — also joined Johnson at Columbia. Lawler said Shafik must resign.

“It is time for President Shafik to resign in disgrace. She has lost control of this campus. She has lost control of this institution. And after listening to her comments inside it is clear that she has no intention of getting this university under control and ensuring the safety and well-being of every student,” Lawler told reporters.

“That is what is entitled to students attending this institution,” he said. “If the students are not safe, if the institution will not act, Congress has a responsibility to do so, and we will.”

Wrapping up his news conference, Johnson, a father of four children, offered a message for the students in the encampment.

“Go back to class and stop the nonsense there. Look, if we want to have a debate on campus about the merits of these things, let’s do that. But you can’t intimidate your fellow students and make them stay home from class. Think about that. Is that right? Do you think that’s right?” he asked.

“Stop wasting your parents’ money,” he said.

Related videos:

Source: NBC News

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Led by the Awafiaga (War Lord) of Asogli, Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu XII; Dufia of Ho-Ahoe, Togbe Kasa III, and Dufia of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpi III, they marched from the Asogli Palace in Ho-Bankoe, in defiance of the scorching sun, to the Volta Regional Coordinating Council where their petition was received by the Chief Director, Augustus Awity.

Mr Awity informed the chiefs the Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa was away on an official duty, and gave an assurance that he would present the petition to him as soon as returned later in the day.

They chiefs later continued their procession to the Ho Municipal Assembly to present a copy of the petition to the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Divine Bosson, and then to HTU to present a copy to the authorities of the university.

At a news conference which preceded the protest march, Togbe Howusu said the decision to name HTU was arrived at without any consultation with the chiefs and people of Ho, who played a crucial role in the establishment of the institution.

“The Asogli State Council views the decision of the government and the Governing Council of the university to rename HTU without due consultation with the major stakeholders, including the Asogli State Council, the custodians of the land, as unfortunate, misplaced and disrespectful,” he said. 

Togbe Howusu, who is Divisional Chief of Ho-Dome, maintained that HTU was an esteemed institution in the public domain, holds a special pride of place in the Volta Region, particularly for the people of the Asogli State, on whose land the university was situated.

For that matter, he said, the people of Asogli had a strong attachment to HTU, which was steadily gaining special recognition nationally and internationally.

Source: graphiconline.com, Author: Alberto Mario Noretti

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The Ambassador of the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Teferi Fikre Gossaye, has paid a working visit to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.

H.E Gossaye in brief remarks, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and indicated his delight in visiting the University. He outlined the purpose of the meeting, disclosing plans to explore opportunities for establishing a connection between the University of Ghana and the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX), alongside considering the signing of an MoU to formalise the comprehensive cooperation between the two institutions. This he said will aim at collectively addressing leadership and development challenges in Africa.

His Excellency Teferi Fikre Gossaye

The African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) is an institution reestablished in June, 2021 by the Council of Ministers, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to provide various learning opportunities to national government leaders. The academy expects systemic-level leadership change through its gradual cultivation of a future generation of leaders and executives in Africa who share a common vision and work culture. Through leadership policy research and advisory functions, the academy aspires to influence leaders in the public, private and civic society sectors to shape and gravitate their policies and leadership structure into a meritocratic, youth-inclined and gender-balanced direction.

The Ambassador emphasised the importance of mobilising resources like human expertise across countries to build leadership capacity in public and private sectors across the continent. He also highlighted the potential of utilising AFLEX as a platform to connect senior universities and institutions, fostering collaboration to collectively tackle leadership and development challenges in Africa.

Ambassador Gossaye finally stated, “We have various strategic documents, including reform pillars and other related materials. I will share these documents with the relevant stakeholders to explore how we can establish a significant presence for the Academy in Ghana and across Africa as we aim to create an environment conducive to understanding how we can enhance mutual benefits, particularly in terms of human resource mobilisation”.

In her response, Prof. Amfo expressed the University’s willingness to embrace opportunities for collaboration not only within academia but beyond to generate meaningful impact on societies. She stressed the multitude of resources available for mutual benefit among Africans, highlighting the lack of extensive collaborations between the University of Ghana and Ethiopian universities.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo

Prof. Amfo conveyed her deep passion for leadership development and nurturing the next generation of leaders through initiatives like the proposed leadership academy. She expressed her eager anticipation in receiving the official documents and formally signing the Memorandum of Understanding.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Gordon Awandare, in his closing remarks expressed interest in the potential collaboration between the University of Ghana and the African Leadership Excellence Academy.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Gordon Awandare (left) and Dr. Elizier Ameyaw-Buronyah, Director, Public Affairs Directorate (right)

He believes that partnering with the African Leadership Excellence Academy aligns well with the University’s vision of developing excellence in leadership through institutions and looks forward to further exploring the mutual benefits of the partnership.

Also in attendance were Dr. Elizier Ameyaw-Buronyah, Director, Public Affairs Directorate and Ms. Pascaline Songsore, Senior Assistant Registrar, also at the Directorate. Accompanying the Ambassador was Hirut Eshetu, Consul for Diaspora Affairs at the Embassy of Ethiopia.

Source: ug.edu.gh

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Expansion

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana¸ Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo said the establishment of the various city campuses was the university’s aspiration to extend its premium services to students in the other regions across the country.

This, she noted, would enable university authorities to have manageable numbers across the campuses to ensure quality teaching, learning and effective lecturing to nurture the students into citizens who would be responsive to both local and global challenges.

Unfortunately, the university turned down the application of many qualified individuals who wanted to study at the Legon campus because of inadequate facilities and resources to support a large intake.

“We, therefore, encourage prospective students and guardians to seriously consider the programmes we offer at the various city campuses to increase their chances of gaining admission to pursue a programme with the premium university”, she said.

Female Enrolment

The university, according to Prof. Amfo, admitted 11,246 students for the 2023-2024 academic year and out of the number, 56.6 per cent were females and 46.4 per cent were males, an indication of the university policy and commitment to affirmative action for women.

She promised to create a world-class city campus with a full complement of facilities and services to support the realisation of the vision and mission of the university. The vice chancellor applauded the city campus implementation team for their commitment and urged them to ensure the campuses were well-resourced and nurtured into a semi-autonomy state.

The Acting Principal of the Kumasi City Campus, Prof. Edward Nketiah-Amponsah encouraged the newly admitted students to be protective in building a long-standing network that would provide mentorship and job opportunities after their education.

He urged the students to embrace the new beginnings with an open mind and to create an environment where critical thinking and excellence in diversity were celebrated with the needed support to succeed.

Challenges

A representative of the matriculation class, Tracy Afi Agossa, said accommodation was one of the main challenges facing them as most of them had to commute from the house to campus, thus putting financial constraints on them.

She appealed to management to consider putting up a hostel to ease the pressure on students.

Source: Graphic Online, Author: Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor

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