By
Julius K. Satsi, GNA
Accra, July 20, GNA – The Valley View
University (VVU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UABP) from the United States, to mutually
develop critical academic and research areas.
The MoU, which was signed at VVU campus in
Accra, was to focus in the areas of agriculture and food security, innovative
use of technology and distance learning in academic programmes, education
abroad initiative, international student recruitment, and faculty staff
professional development.
The MoU, which would elapse in five years but
renewable was signed by Dr Laurence B. Alexander, the Chancellor of UABP and
Professor Daniel Kwame Bediako, the Vice Chancellor of VVU.
Professor Daniel Kwame Bediako, the Vice
Chancellor of the VVU, said as the premier private University in Ghana, it was
incumbent on the institution to lead the way in numerous ways.
The way that should be done, he said, was
through partnerships with both international and local universities, adding
that the School identified the need to partner more in the sciences, focusing
first on agriculture.
He said UABP as an institution was doing
something significant in the agriculture space and therefore was a right
partner for the advancement in the area of agriculture.
The Vice Chancellor added that it was
identified through deliberation that the two institutions could work together
to get a research laboratory for food and other sciences.
The MoU would cover areas of exchange
programmes, helping the VVU to start new areas in agriculture and science in
the country.
He said VVU would start the exchange programme
next year with five students, adding that the doors of the School was opened to
receive more partners for mutual advancement in various areas of academic
pursuant.
At the ceremony, Dr Muthusamy Manoharan, the
Interim Dean and Director of the School of Agricultural, Fisheries and Human
Sciences at the UABP, said the MoU signing was a great opportunity for the two
institutions to collaborate in advancing their academic pursuit.
He said the partnership would give many
opportunities to students from both institutions of higher learning to acquire
more knowledge on the culture of both countries.
He said the two universities could collaborate
in a number of programmes such as programmes in aquaculture and fisheries, in
agriculture, and in regulatory science.
He said the UABP was proud to have started the
programme in regulatory daily science in the 1992, noting that UABP was the
first to start the programme in the United States, which was later replicated
in other universities.
Dr Manoharan said the University also offered
Bachelor of Science in Human Science with emphasis on obesity and human
nutrition, adding that “we are offering some unique and important programmes
not only at the academic level but also at research and extension level”.
Dr Isaac Bimpeh Boateng, the Dean of
Advancement, Development and Strategic Planning at VVU, said discussions on the
MoU started when he was privileged to visit the campus of UABP and was
impressed with the level of agriculture and aquaculture development in the
School.
He said as part of the agreement, the
University will be considering the introduction of different breeds of potatoes
to tell the country that there was an endless possibility of growing potatoes
that could enrich and nourish young people.
He said the VVU was looking at crop
production, fisheries, and other programmes and ultimately considering what the
University did not have and what they have as well as considering how to
leverage on them.
He said the UABP started sending students on
exchange programme three years and that the VVU would start sending some
students to the UABP from next year.
GNA