The Vice Chancellor of Ho Technical University (HTU), Prof. Ben Q. Honyenuga, has assured Ghanaians that the tertiary institution would serve as the centre of innovation and attraction, where practical solutions to the development needs of the country would be provided.
Prof. Honyenuga said the University would continue to produce graduates with practical skills and knowledge in the areas of engineering, agriculture and business development among others to provide the relevant development needs of the country.
The Vice Chancellor, who was addressing the media in Ho on his stewardship for the past four years, and his vision for another four year extension by the Governing Council, said the University was poised to meet the development challenges confronting the country through innovative educational programmes.
Prof. Honyenuga announced that the University would soon introduce a bachelor degree in biomedical engineering to support the health sector in the provision of quality health delivery by addressing challenges relating to acquisition of equipment operation and maintenance.
He explained that over the years, health facilities in the country imported hospital equipment, which could only be operated by engineers from abroad, and when such equipment broke down the same engineers from outside were engaged, therefore, the HTU had decided to address the problem.
According to him, when the programme starts biomedical engineers from the University would be at the forefront to operate such equipment and repair them when faulty.
He added that the University had plans to manufacture relevant equipment in the future to bring to an end costs associated with acquisition and maintenance of imported equipment.
He stressed that when the programme starts, graduates in Biomedical Engineering would become responsible at the Ho Teaching Hospital to address critical challenges that would emerge.
Prof. Honyenuga disclosed that the University was partnering foreign universities, institutions and companies, including the Woosong University in South Korea, Design and Technology Institute, Lucas Nulle Company in Germany, Kosmos Innovation Centre, Japan Motors, and the Ghana Navy to enhance practical training.
He said the Quality Assurance Unit of the University had been strengthened to promote standards that would ensure that graduates to compete favourably in addressing national and international development problems confronting society.
The Vice Chancellor said the partnership also aimed at promoting exchange programmes with the institutions to ensure that the HTU would produce graduates who could meet international standards, saying, he would work hard during his second term in office to ensure that the university would continue to set high standards among others in Africa and the world.