The University of Ghana has held virtual college-based matriculation ceremonies for fresh students who have enrolled into various academic programmes for the 2022/2023 academic year.
The virtual matriculation was held for the University's four colleges: the College of Humanities, the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Education.
The various College Secretaries of the four colleges, delivered the Welcome Address on behalf of the Registrar, Mrs. Emelia Agyei Mensah, at their respective ceremonies. In her speech, the Registrar thanked colleagues at all levels for their contributions to the admissions, registration, orientation and matriculation processes.
She mentioned that the University will hold separate matriculation ceremonies later in the year for students on the Distance Education programme as well as students on special programmes.
The Registrar stated that the Matriculation Ceremony was required for all new students of the University, as stated in Article 31 of the University of Ghana Act, 2010, Act 806.
She urged the fresh students to embrace their new roles as students, to participate positively and actively in University activities, and to relish their stay at the University of Ghana.
During the ceremonies, the Provosts of the four Colleges delivered the Vice-Chancellor’s address at their respective ceremonies.
In the speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, congratulated the new students on their admission to Ghana's premier university, out of the thousands who applied.
Prof. Amfo indicated that the University of Ghana has distinguished itself in teaching and learning, research, and community service over the past decades, and as a result, it has been named the best tertiary institution in Ghana and one of the leading universities in Africa on a global scale by the latest Webometric World University Rankings.
Matriculation, she explained, is a solemn ceremony in which freshmen and women are formally inducted as Junior Members into the academically stimulating and socially exciting community. She added that it also allows young men and women to pledge their allegiance to the authority of the University through the administration of the Matriculation Oath.
She announced that the Vice-Chancellor's, "One Student, One Laptop" initiative, which aimed at facilitating academic work had resulted in the University's management receiving a total of 248 laptops from individuals and corporate entities, 120 of which had been distributed to deserving needy students.
Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo provided brief updates on the University's performance in areas such as admissions, international student enrollment, housing, financial aid, academic excellence, and discipline.
She stated that the University received 51,132 applications for the 2022/2023 academic year, and 40,363 applicants were admitted, with 17,453 enrolling.
She assured the freshmen and women that the management of the University is continuously working to provide both on and off-campus accommodation in order to mitigate the current accommodation crisis on campus.
The Vice-Chancellor advised the freshmen and women to make new friends, attend social and sporting events and have fun, but most importantly to manage their time wisely between their academic work and social activities.
The matriculation oath was administered to the Matriculants after the address by the Vice-Chancellor. Each of the four colleges nominated a student each, to deliver an address on their expectations and to sign the Matricula physically, on behalf of their colleagues. The newly enrolled students were expected to later sign the Matricula online, confirming their membership of the University.
Their expectations included experiencing a wonderful 75th anniversary celebration, learning lessons that will shape their professional lives, exposure to a new culture, opportunities to explore new passions and interests, the use of state-of-the-art facilities for academic excellence, among others.
The Virtual ceremonies were facilitated by Mrs. Elizier Ameyaw-Buronyah, Director, Public Affairs Directorate and featured Prof. Daniel Frimpong Ofori, Provost, College of Humanities (COH); Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, Provost, College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS); Prof. Julius Fobil, Provost, College of Health Sciences (CHS); Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, Provost, College of Education (COE); Mr. Michael Opare Atuah, College Secretary (CHS); Mr. Joseph Oduro Nkansah, College Secretary (COE); Mr. Worlanyo Newton Torvinyo, Ag. College Secretary (CBAS); Mr. Emmanuel Poku-Sarkodee, Deputy Registrar, University of Ghana Business School (on behalf of the College Secretary, COH).