Thirty-seven (37) students, including nineteen (19) females and eighteen (18) males, have received grants to aid them produce timely and quality research works.

Sponsored by Samuel and Emelia Brew-Butler and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), the grant is specifically aimed at supporting research students publish their scholarly articles in recognised local and international journals, as well as attend research conferences.

The awards ceremony was themed, “Postgraduate Education, Barriers and Freedom for Development.”

The keynote speaker, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, who spoke on the topic said postgraduate education offers a unique opportunity for students to freely develop themselves in ways that support the overall development of a country.

“This freedom is necessary for promoting critical thinking, and intellectual freedom; encouraging innovation and creativity among others,” he noted.

Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah addressing participants

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah was, however, quick to add that postgraduate education tends to disempower students to the extent that when they complete their studies, they do not have the confidence to create and innovate.

“They settle down comfortably with the PhD or MPhil certificate and may not publish or carry on with further research to produce new knowledge or translate the research into practical applications, innovations and startups to help bring about development,” he added.

He insisted that disempowering graduate students exclude them from quality learning and research which had the power to grant them their freedom.

Among the common barriers disempowering postgraduate students from experiencing the freedom that results in development, Prof. Anamuah-Mensah mentioned dealing with self-doubt, coping with uncertainties about post-graduation career prospects, and managing the pressure to present results and publish.

Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Sarah Darkwa (L) presenting one of the awardees with her grant

The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Sarah Darkwa, in a short remark, observed that the school would continue to mentor and monitor the students until the final research output.

On behalf of the awardees, an MPhil student with the Department of Animal Science, Mr. Mwantor Adams expressed gratitude to contributors of the fund and pledged to do ethical research work.

The Provost of the College of Education Studies, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, chaired the ceremony.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC