The KNUST College of Engineering (CoE) Endowment Fund was launched on 14th October 2022 at the Alisa Hotel, Accra.
The Fund seeks to provide funding to enable the College of Engineering to become an internationally acknowledged centre of excellence in engineering education; producing high-calibre graduates with knowledge and expertise to support Ghana and Africa's industrial and socio-economic development.
The specific objectives are to improve the quality of postgraduate programmes, expand access to postgraduate programmes, provide scholarships to attract brilliant students and improve infrastructure to support teaching and learning.
The target is to raise 50 million Ghana Cedis (GHȻ 50,000,000.00) within five years.
The Minister of Education, Honourable Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum speaking at the launch stated that the government is very pleased with the College of Engineering and will continue to assist the College. He urged the College to continue to work in producing critical minds for the development of Ghana and the world at large.
The Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority (VRA), Ing. Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa expressed how enthused he was about the Fund. “The establishment of the KNUST College of Engineering Endowment Fund is timely as it would support the provision of additional resources to enable the College to deliver its mandate,” he affirmed. He thus encouraged all persons who have benefitted directly or indirectly from the College to contribute generously to the Fund.
The CEO on behalf of the VRA committed to annually donating to the Fund.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo celebrated the College for achieving such great strides and coming up with the idea to establish a fund. He further called on all to support to ensure that the Endowment Fund grows to support the College, train the students, and beef up its facilities. “We need the skills sharpened, not just by acquiring a degree but skills and competencies,” he stated.
He promised Management’s accountability and transparency to ensure that the purpose of the Fund is met.
In his address, the Provost of the College of Engineering, Professor Mark Adom-Asamoah stated that the College since its establishment has grown and expanded. He said the College currently runs 18 undergraduate and over 30 postgraduate programmes under three faculties: the Faculties of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Civil and Geo-Engineering and Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.
He added that the College has made notable strides in infrastructure, and innovations which have trained a skilled workforce who are contributing their quota to the development of the nation and the world at large.
He mentioned that the College also hosts three World Bank Africa Centres of Excellence (ACEs) namely: the KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP), Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi (RWESCK) and the Transport Research and Educational Centre, Kumasi (TRECK).
“These Centres through the provision of scholarships have led to an increase in the number of postgraduate students as a result of the funding from the World Bank through the Government of Ghana and to ensure that the gains achieved are not eroded, the establishment of an endowment fund is imperative,” he concluded.
Professor Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, Project Lead for KEEP seized the opportunity to appreciate alumni and institutions who have contributed to the Endowment Fund. These include Honourable Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education (GHȻ 50,000), Ing Christian Nti, CEO Ghana Highway Authority (GHȻ 50,000), Prof. Elijah Kannatey-Asibu (USD 50,000), ASIB Construction Ltd (GHȻ 60,000), Associated Consultants Limited (GHȻ 300,000), College of Engineering, KNUST (GHȻ 50,000), Ghana Institution of Engineering (GHȻ 100,000).
Others are Ghana Grid Company (GHȻ 500,000), Ghana Highway Authority (GHȻ 20,000), Electricity Company of Ghana (GHȻ 150,000), ASIB Limited (GHȻ 30,000), Ghana National Gas Company (GHȻ 500,000), National Petroleum Authority (GH¢100,000), Ghana Highway Authority (GH¢20,000), Civil Engineering class of 1996 (GH¢50,000), Electrical Engineering Class of 2002 (GH¢40,000), RPS Engineering (GH¢10,000), Civil Engineering class of 1994 (GH¢6,000), Ing. William Amuna (GH¢2,000), Ing. Harold Esseku (GH¢2,000), BrainBirds Academy (GH¢2,000), Mercury Heights (GH¢1,500), and Ing. Kwabena Bempong (GH¢1,000)
