New Rector Takes Over GIJ

The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) has held a special investiture and induction ceremony for its new Rector Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo.

Following this development, Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo becomes the 16th GIJ Rector since its establishment in 1959.

Prof. Kwansah Aidoo, in his remarks, promised to ensure that during his tenure, GIJ would become an institution of excellence that produced communicators, who could impact positively not only in Ghana, but the entire global community.

'My vision as Rector is to develop the Ghana Institute of Journalism into a dynamic fast growing institution of higher learning, that pursues excellence in research and professional education,' he said, adding that, as a public institution, GIJ would be committed to nurturing and developing students' talents and creating applicable knowledge to support the social and economic advancement of Ghana.

The newly inducted Rector said GIJ would work towards the deepening of the country's democracy by carrying out research that enriched Ghana's media land-scape.

Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo hinted that the institute sought to raise its admission standards to recruit those students with the greatest potential of succeeding.

'We shall become more aggressive in our recruitment efforts not only to increase the pool of quality and qualified students, but also to increase the success of our students and alumni population,' he said.

The GIJ Rector said in doing so, the institute committed itself to recruiting only the very best, with an aim to retain, and graduate students, at a progressively higher rate.

Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo noted that the free SHS and double track system, would have significant implications for the tertiary sector and that, there was the need to make the country's tertiary institutions ready, 'to absorb the flood of students who would be banging on our gates for admission.'

As the premier communication institution in the country, the Rector observed, GIJ has an obligation to lead the charge to prepare for this eventuality and added, that a lot also depended on the government.

'We entreat the government to help us in all areas to contribute towards achieving success in our quest to educate the younger generations, and improve upon the human resource of the nation,' Prof. Kwansah-Aiddoo said.

He said GIJ would need to expand its infrastructure, and appealed to all stakeholders, to support work on the institute's new site at north Dzorwulu, to enable GIJ to move some of its operations to that site within next academic year.

The newly inducted rector said the institution would expand its partnership with other educational institutions and development partners to fulfil its mandate.

Madam Barbara Ayisi Acher, Deputy Minister of Education, who represented Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, commended the rector for his achievement and said, the sector was in full support of the rector.

She said the sector was putting a number of measures in place to ensure that the institution became a great one.

The Deputy Minister called on students of GIJ to give their maximum support to the institution's authorities in order to ensure the smooth running of the institution.

Goodwill messages were read by the newly inducted rector's family, friends, and old schoolmates, among others.

Prof. Kwansah- Aidoo assumed office as rector of the GIJ in August 2018, after nearly three decades of living, studying and working outside Ghana.

He was a professor of marketing and public relations at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne Australia.

---Ghana News Agency