UniMAC’s management meets with alumni executives to chart new course

The Management of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) has met with the alumni executives of the erstwhile three institutions that came together to form UniMAC.

These are Executives from Ghana Institute of Journalism’s (GIJ) Alumni, National Film and Television Institute’s (NAFTI) Alumni and the Institute of Languages’ School of Translators’ (IoL - SoT) Alumni. 

Briefing

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Opoku Mensah, used the opportunity to share his vision for UniMAC and how it fitted into the overall UniMAC vision of becoming “a first-rate university that pursues excellence in research and professional education and training in the broad fields of Communication and the Creative Arts; for societal transformation.”

He also brought to the fore, the changes that had taken place in UniMAC to complete the structures of a university setting.

These are appointments of a pro-vice-chancellor, rectors for the constituent institutes, deans, directors and heads of departments.  

Additionally, Prof. Mensah expressed excitement over the launch of the PhD in Media and Communication and the review of programmes to make them in sync with the demands of the industry.

The Vice-Chancellor said UniMAC’s future of excellence in media, arts and communication had a strong relationship with building endearing partnerships with the alumni and industry.  

He indicated that with the rising numbers of admissions, it behoved all partners to come together to resolve accommodation challenges on campus by building hostel facilities.

He voiced concern over the fact that applicants from other regions could not complete admission processes due to accommodation issues. And, even those in Accra have to travel for long distances amid heavy traffic to and fro lectures every day.

Response

Responding, the executives indicated the great strides made in bringing their respective associations together as a group.  

They pledged to rally support from their members to support the university to become greater by beginning the roadmap of forming a UniMAC global association while maintaining the various institutional chapters.  

The Executives represented at the meeting were for the IFT, Yaw Firempong Boakye and Vitus Nanbigne; for the IL - Mr Gideon Odame, Nitchon Oumborbe Azizben and Michael Mawuko Vorsah, while those for the IJ were Dr Martin T. Ntem and Kwesi Adjei.

The executives also discussed key challenges driving apathy among the alumni and solicited support from management to put in place measures to address these issues concerning transcripts, letters of recommendation and change of name, among others. 

Role of alumni

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Winston Abroampa, commented on the important role of the alumni in the life of institutions that had become great institutions of repute and charged the executives to get involved in the school as UniMAC begins to take its place in higher education.

The Rectors for the Institute of Journalism (IJ), Prof. Christiana Hammond, Institute of Film and Television (IFT),  Prof. Samuel Yirenkyi and Institute of Languages (IL),  Prof. Cecilia Addei, all lent support to the Vice-Chancellor’s remarks and pledged to work with the alumni for the good of UniMA