Top 8 Technical Universities And 2 Polytechnics In Ghana
Koforidua Technical University
Kumasi Technical University KsTU
Cape Coast Technical University
An institute of technology (also: university of technology, polytechnic university, technikon, and technical university) is a type of university which specializes in engineering, technology, Applied Science, and possibly natural sciences. How the terms are used varies from country to country.
The English term polytechnic appeared in the early 19th century, from the French École Polytechnique, an engineering school founded in 1794 in Paris. The French term comes from the Greek πολύ (polú or polý) meaning “many” and τεχνικός (tekhnikós) meaning “arts”.
Key Characteristics of a Technical University
A review of the literature on technical universities in Africa (South Africa and Kenya), Europe (Germany and Denmark), and Asia (Japan and India) provided the backdrop for defining the general orientation and key characteristics of a technical university. In general, technical universities:
a)provide education and training for the world of work: students are trained to acquire high level employable skills for wage or self-employment
b)have strong links with industry and business
c)support existing and emerging productive sectors of the economy with technical expertise and R&D
d)are focused on practical research activities, including industry and market-driven joint research projects
e)offer programmes that are vocationally oriented or career focused
f)provide skills training at all levels: certificate, diploma, degree, and postgraduate degree levels
g)are autonomous or semi-autonomous in their governance and management practices
h)offer courses and programmes covering a wide range of economic activities
i)place emphasis on innovation and application of new technologies, including ICT
j)have well trained faculty imbued with both academic and professional experience
k)admit capable students into science and technology based programs
l)possess top grade teaching and learning facilities
m)engage in consultancy and contract management activities
n)encourage staff and student mobility
o)provide skills training from the middle level to the highest level possible
Differentiating a Technical University from a Traditional University
The decision to convert the polytechnics to technical universities is tantamount to repositioning the polytechnics within the tertiary education system which requires an expansion of their mission. The establishment of the technical universities is expected to lead to a more diversified higher education landscape with clear mission differentiations. The technical universities should therefore be differentiated from the traditional universities. What should be the key role and functions of the technical universities? What should be the philosophy that underpins a technical university in the Ghanaian context? A technical university or university of applied sciences is a technological university with focus on the application of technology to the various fields of learning. Some typical differentiation indicators are indicated in Table
Comparison of Technical Universities and Traditional Universities
The fact that technical universities emphasize a close engagement with the world of work does not mean disengagement from the basic academic orientation of higher education institutions. Engagement with industry means bringing the world of work into the classroom and placing practical knowledge and research results at the disposal of industry. Blending academic pursuits with practical goals of promoting societal and economic well-being of the population is one of the hallmarks of universities of applied sciences. While the focus is on applied research, technical universities may contribute their expertise at any point along the product development chain from basic research to commercialization in collaboration with traditional (research) universities.
Criteria for Conversion of the Polytechnics to Technical Universities
The Committee is of the opinion that individual polytechnics should satisfy a set of eligibility criteria for conversion to technical universities. This will ensure that the converted polytechnics measure up to the standard expected of a university. In order to enhance the image of the converted polytechnics as technical universities, it is important that the conversion process is rigorous. Every effort should be made to raise the public perception and status of the converted polytechnics to the level of any other public university in the country. This requires that the polytechnics as candidates for elevation to the status of technical universities should meet certain qualifying standards and benchmarks. The proposed benchmarks, which are explained below, relate to three (3) key areas: i) institutional standing; ii) academic staff requirements; and iii) evidence of collaboration with industry and employers in the delivery of study programmes.
i. Institutional standing
- A polytechnic seeking to be granted technical university status should satisfy the existing norms, guidelines and standard requirements of NCTE and NAB for accreditation as a university, and
- The polytechnic should be already offering or be capable of offering a certain minimum number of accredited B-Tech degree programmes in science and technology based programmes.
The existing National Accreditation Board (NAB) institutional accreditation guidelines specify that to qualify for university status as a science and technology institution, the university should have a minimum of two (2)
Faculties and two (2) Departments per Faculty. This benchmark is aligned with the internationally accepted definition of a “University”. The committee endorses this requirement for qualification as a technical university.
The committee therefore recommends that for a polytechnic to be granted technical university status, it should be offering a minimum of four (4) BTech degree programmes in science and technology based disciplines.
On the issue of adequacy of teaching and learning infrastructure, many of the polytechnics have fairly well-equipped laboratories and workshops, although there is the need for some re- tooling and rehabilitation of existing training facilities. Consequently, the challenge of adequate academic infrastructure for the future technical universities can be satisfactorily addressed.
ii. Academic staff requirements
A key characteristic of a technical university is the requirement that the teachers should possess both academic and professional qualifications. In a technical university, possessing only an academic qualification (even a PhD) is not enough to qualify as a professor or teacher. Professional or industry experience is a key requirement. In Germany, for example, it is mandatory for teachers in the Universities of Applied Sciences to have 3-5 years professional experience in the world of work.
The vocational orientation and industry-focused nature of the study programmes offered by technical universities demand that the teachers have industrial exposure. Recruiting, training, re- training and retaining such calibre of teachers for the converted polytechnics is a key challenge that must be addressed. Obviously, it may be difficult at the embryonic stage of the technical universities to insist on the industrial experience requirement for all teachers in the converted polytechnics. At the same time, this requirement cannot be entirely ignored.
The committee therefore recommends that any academic department seeking programme accreditation in the technical universities should be headed by at least a Senior Lecturer with a PhD and, preferably, with some industrial experience. In addition, the department must have at least 3 full-time Lecturers with relevant research master’s degrees, at least one of whom must have industrial or work place experience.
iii. Collaboration with Industry
Involvement of industry and employers in teaching, organization of workplace experiential learning for students, and governance of the future technical universities is a critical success factor that will enable graduates of the technical universities to have fairly easy transition into the labour market. Cooperative education or strong collaboration with industry in training delivery is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the technical universities from the traditional universities.
The committee is of the opinion that structured and supervised internships or work place experiential learning by students should be a mandatory requirement for programme accreditation in the technical universities.
In this regard, it should be required of the converted polytechnics as technical universities to provide evidence of training and partnership agreements or MOUs signed with collaborating industry partners.
In summary, the polytechnics would have to re-engineer themselves to become technical universities. This would entail the polytechnics emphasising staff development programmes to raise staff qualifications to university levels and developing capacity for curriculum engineering, management of internships, quality assurance, applied research and technology inter-change with
industry. It is also important for the polytechnics to remain focused on career-focused programmes and not fall into the academic drift “trap” of offering traditional university type
programmes.
The above eligibility criteria would inform and underpin the recommended strategy for converting the polytechnics to technical universities as discussed
In general, the future technical universities in Ghana:
- -should be practice-oriented with smaller classes and higher student-teacher contact hours
- -should provide education and training for the world of work, i.e. students are trained to acquire high level employable skills for wage or self-employment
- -should have strong links with industry and business
- -should support existing and emerging productive sectors of the economy with technical expertise and applied research
- -should be focused on practical research activities, including industry and market-driven joint research projects
- -should offer study programmes that are vocationally oriented or career focused, with emphasis on engineering, technology, and business programmes, but not humanities
- -should provide skills training at all levels: certificate, diploma, degree, and postgraduate or master’s degree levels
- -should be autonomous in their governance and management practices
- -should emphasize innovation and application of new technologies, including ICT
- -should have faculty imbued with both academic and professional qualifications
- -should possess top grade teaching and learning facilities
- -should engage in consultancy and contract research as regular activities
- -should provide skills training to the highest level possible
- -should provide admission slots for graduates of senior high technical schools and technical institutes for advanced technical education and training
Additionally, the converted polytechnics should:
- -research into, and provide support for micro, small, and medium scale enterprises
- -promote technology adaptation and innovation in support of local enterprises
- -be seen as differentiated institutions with focus on science and technology disciplines, although relevant programmes in business and the social sciences may be offered
- -promote continuous professional development and lifelong learning
- -have a well-balanced curriculum combining scientific principles and theory with applied science and the acquisition of practical techniques
- -develop relevant partnerships and linkages with similar institutions abroad
- -integrate student/staff work place experiential learning and internships into the curriculum
- -engage faculty who are both teachers and practitioners, i.e. faculty who possess both academic and relevant professional experience
- -ensure strict adherence to student teacher ratios and standard norms determined by the NCTE and NAB for technical universities
- -integrate entrepreneurial culture into the institutional governance, teaching, and learning activities
What Name should be given to a Converted Polytechnic?
The name by which an institution is known is a reflection of its mandate, philosophy and orientation. The converted polytechnics are expected to be predominantly science and technology university institutions. At the same time, they should be seen as higher education institutions dedicated to the development of high level technical skills that offer a natural pathway for the academic and professional progression of graduates from senior high/technical schools and technical institutes as well as practicing technicians, adult workers and company employees who are desirous of upgrading their technical and business skills.
In arriving at an appropriate name for the converted polytechnics, the Committee considered several options, including:
- -Technical University (as in Kenya)
- -University of Applied Sciences (as in Germany and in The Netherlands)
- -University of Technology (as in South Africa)
In particular, the Committee discussed the differences in mandate between the Technical Universities and the Universities of Applied Sciences in the German higher education system. The Technical Universities in Germany are multidisciplinary institutions which offer engineering, science and science-based professional programmes, from the first degree to PhD levels. The Universities of Applied Sciences, on the other hand, are more vocational oriented and industry-focused and offer only Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, although graduates
from the Universities of Applied Sciences may pursue doctoral studies at a Technical University. It is noted that the Technical University in Germany is a research university, engaged in cutting edge research and technological innovation in close collaboration with industry and commerce. The Universities of Applied Sciences, on the other hand, emphasize the application of knowledge and applied research with direct and immediate relevance to industry needs. The Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany and the Netherlands have the same orientation as the Technical Universities in Kenya and the Universities of Technology in South Africa. The Technical University of Kenya, for example, has its antecedents in the former Kenya Polytechnic in Nairobi, while the Universities of Technology in South Africa (formerly known as Technikons) have mandates similar to those of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany.
Although the envisaged orientation and character of the converted polytechnics are more in
alignment with those of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany, it is recommended that the converted polytechnics be known as Technical Universities. The choice of “technical university” was informed by the following considerations:
a)This designation will give the institutions a distinct character as university-level technical skills training institutions.
b)The name “technical universities” will help differentiate these institutions from the traditional universities
c)The designation will project the image of the institutions as vocationally-oriented and industry-focused universities
d)Students from technical institutes will see the Technical Universities as a natural avenue for further education and training, providing in this way a logical and seamless academic progression route for skills development for technical school and polytechnic graduates
e)The choice of “technical university” rather than “university of applied sciences” will avoid any confusion in identity that may arise with some existing universities in Ghana, such as the University of Health and Allied Sciences
f)The other possibility of naming the converted polytechnics as “universities of technology” may create an identity clash with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, when the objective of converting the polytechnics is to establish a different kind of university.
The Committee therefore recommends that the converted polytechnics should be designated as Technical Universities.
The Committee further recommends that as and when the polytechnics become eligible for conversion to technical universities, they should be named as follows:
| 1. | Accra Polytechnic | becomes | Accra Technical University (ATU) |
| 2. | Bolgatanga Polytechnic | “ | Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) |
| 3. | Cape Coast Polytechnic | “ | Technical University of Cape Coast (TUCC) |
| 4. | Ho Polytechnic | “ | Technical University of Ho (TUH) |
| 5. | Koforidua Polytechnic | “ | Technical University of Koforidua (TUK) |
| 6. | Kumasi Polytechnic | “ | Kumasi Technical University (KTU) |
| 7. | Sunyani Polytechnic | “ | Sunyani Technical University (STU) |
| 8. | Takoradi Polytechnic | “ | Takoradi Technical University (TTU) |
| 9. | Tamale Polytechnic | “ | Technical University of Tamale (TUT) |
| 10. | Wa Polytechnic | “ | Technical University of Wa (TUW) |
Alternatively, the city location of the Technical University (TU) may be used to identify or designate the institution; in which case the converted polytechnics shall be known as: TU-Accra; TU-Bolgatanga; TU-Cape Coast; TU-Ho; TU-Koforidua; TU-Kumasi; TU-Sunyani; TU- Takoradi; TU-Tamale; and TU-Wa.