The third biennial Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities in Ghana (ARCTUG -2024) has ended at the Sunyani Technical University in Sunyani.
The next conference, which will be held in 2026, will be hosted by the Takoradi Technical University. In his closing remarks, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Sunyani Technical University, Prof. Justice Solomon Korantwi-Barimah, noted that this year’s conference will go down in history as marking a significant landmark in the affairs of technical universities in Ghana.
He was emphatic that ARCTUG 2024 has given irrefutable evidence that technical universities can take charge of Ghana’s industrialization agenda, adding that the exhibitions mounted by students and industry partners are a testimony of the many economic and industrial advancements engineered by the technical universities.
“Such exhibitions have served to fire our imaginations, and to inspire us in our determination to proceed as rapidly as possible with the economic, industrial and technological reconstruction of our country to which we are committed”, Prof Korantwi-Barimah further said.
According to him, ARCTUG 2024 has laid the foundation for the creation of a stronger partnership between the technical universities and industry with support by government and hoped that this will lead to the development of both skills and knowledge as well as innovations.
“We equally believe that the conference has provided an opportunity for the government to reaffirm its commitment and support to the growth and development of the technical universities in Ghana as we seek to bridge the gap between the academia, industry and government. We, therefore, urge the government to take up the outcomes of this conference for effective implementation to fast-track innovation and entrepreneurship development to accelerate national economic growth”, the STU Pro-VC stated.
He also asked technical universities to make conscious efforts to patent their creative works and research outputs to generate the needed benefits.
The Chairman of Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities in Ghana (VCTU-G), Sir Prof Elias N. K. Sowley, paid glowing tribute to President Akufo-Addo for gracing the conference with his presence.
He was also grateful to the Education Minister, Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, the Local Organising Committee chaired by Prof. Edward Owusu and all those who contributed to the success of the conference and hoped that the next edition will also exceed expectations of participants.
