The Management of the University of Cape Coast convened a 3-day meeting at Peduase in the Eastern Region of Ghana with members of Strategic Planning Committees from 29th August 1st September, 2021 to deliberate on the University’s long-term strategy for internationalisation and global impact. The meeting also aimed among others, at outlining modalities to strengthen its research capacity and deliver high quality training of students through institutional accreditation and professional education, enhance governance and management through monitoring and evaluation, and promote efficiency of procurement mechanisms within the university. These efforts are expected to enable the university focus on global good practices for higher education, and to position UCC as an Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) Host Institution with the flexibility to pursue projects, academic partnerships and research activities focused on achieving Institutional Impact Milestones based upon need and priority.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, while acknowledging that most of these initiatives are already ongoing in the University, reaffirmed that, the objective of the workshop was to facilitate the processes of review of existing policies and practices and to develop new ones, where necessary to position the University to attain international benchmarking in higher education in Africa. 

In attendance was the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Impact Project Manager at the Association of African Universities (AAU), Dr Sylvia Mkandawire. Addressing participants at the meeting, Dr. Mkandawire  indicated that ACECoR was performing well among the ACE projects and commended the University for the supporting the project.  

Also in attendance was the National Focal Officer for the ACEs at the Ghana Tertiary Education Council (GTEC), Mr Edmund Aalandong.  Dr. Mkandawire and Mr. Aalandong expressed optimism and commended the University of Cape Coast and ACECoR for the high-level of commitment to the sustenance of the project and academic excellence. 

The workshop was attended by the VC, Pro-VC, Registrar, Director of Finance, Rep of the Director of Internal Audit, Provosts of all 5 Colleges, Director of Directorate of Research Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC), Director of the Centre for International Education (CIE), Director of ACECoR, other Directors, Head of Departments and Administrators of the University, AAU and GTEC. 

The event coincided with Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2022, which ranked UCC as the number one university in Ghana and West Africa, number one in research influence globally and among the first five top Universities in Africa