The Ag. Head of Academic and Students’ Affairs Division of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and President of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA)-UENR Chapter, Dr. George Kwadwo Anane has said the administrative profession in recent time is experiencing a fast technological change in its nature of operations. According to him, in this contemporary era, most administrative and professional works are being effectively operated online without their physical presence. He envisioned that “very soon the work of administrators would be obsolete if new trends are not practiced especially in this era of Covid-19.”
Dr. Anane was speaking at a two-day Administrators Conference organized by GAUA-UENR Chapter from June 23 to 24, 2022 at the Tyco City Hotel, Sunyani. “From policies to the mode of teaching, there are changes. We are moving from subventions to self-funding, teaching face to face to blended mode. What are you doing as an administrator?” he further quizzes. To achieve the goal of positive change in an institution, Dr. Anane acknowledged that change, which is a continuous process, does not just occur. He said Administrators must see change as a sense of urgency where they have to develop a strategic change vision, communicate it to the understanding of their constituents and create a new culture with focused-mindedness among others.
Re-visiting University Governance and Contemporary Issues in University management, respectively, the Registrar of Takoradi Technical University, Dr. Dr. Dr. Moses Abnory explained that administrators’ work is the core of every institution’s progress. “Administrators are practitioners just like Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers who are responsible for providing solutions to problems and ought to be professional in their duties without taking advantage of clients,” he said. He added that contemporary administrators must be conversant with university management documents and policies in order to make sound decisions for their institution.
The Conference held on the theme “University Administrators (Challenging) Times” brought together Registrars and other administrative officers from universities and colleges of education in Ghana. The Conference sought to develop an understanding of the governance system of universities including their legal framework, mission, vision and values. The participants were also exposed some topical issues on the current, dynamic Contemporary University Administrator (CUA) to new skillset required for the rapidly changing university system; they were as well schooled on the promotion of knowledge through the writing of memoranda, conference papers, position papers, proposals, and book chapters among others.
Other facilitators at the Conference were Dr. Paul Kwadwo Addo, Head of Institutional Planning Quality Assurance and Planning Office (KNUST), and Dr. Benjamin Prince Nartey Menzo, Director of Finance at the Sunyani Technical University (STU).
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