Sunyani Technical University (STU) and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in the United States of America (USA), have signed an Articulation Agreement to provide opportunity for the students from STU’s Pharmacy Technician programme to pursue Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD, level to fulfil their academic progression needs.
This agreement is in fulfilment of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions in 2017 to provide avenues for academic partnership in joint academic programmes, student and staff exchange programmes, and in collaborative research, among other issues.
At the end of the signing ceremony held at Princess Ann, Salisbury, Maryland, USA, the Vice-Chancellor of STU, Prof Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, noted that the agreement had come at the right time, as it would provide opportunity for academic progression for students.
“Today, students from the Pharmacy Technician programme at STU can heave a sigh of relief, as their major challenge of not having an opportunity for academic progression has been resolved through this articulation agreement” he said.
Prof Adinkrah-Appiah, again, indicated that the issue of HND Pharmacy Technician students in Ghana having to end their educational career as Pharmacy Technicians at the HND level had come to an end, since they could now enroll at STU for one more year on the University’s new Bachelor of Technology (BTech) programme and continue to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to do a 3-year accelerated Dr. of Pharmacy, PharmD programme. According to him, this would give opportunity for prospective students to earn dual degrees of B-Tech Pharmacy Technician degree from STU and Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD, degree from UMES.
“While STU is going to serve as a pipeline to feed the UMES Doctor of Pharmacy programme, we believe that this agreement will deepen our relationship as sister institutions for a symbiotic relationship”, he added.
The Vice-Chancellor took the opportunity to inform the management and staff of UMES of the on-going 55th Anniversary Celebration of STU.
He extended an official invitation to the President of UMES, Dr Heidi M. Anderson, and his team to STU’s next congregation as Special Guests of Honour. This congregation is scheduled for January, 2023. The decision to invite the President of UMES is part of efforts to consolidate the relationship between STU and UMES.
The dignitaries who were present at the ceremony include the President of UMES, Dr Heidi M. Anderson; the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of UMES, Dr Rondall Allen; the Acting Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Dr T. Sean Vasaitis; the Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr Victor Hsia; the Chair for the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Dr Mariam C. Purnell; Faculty, and some staff of UMES.
Also present at the ceremony was the Registrar of Sunyani Technical University, Mr Samuel Ankama Obour.
Speech delivered by Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, VC of Sunyani Technical University, during the signing of an articulation agreement between UMES and STU on Thursday, October 6, 2022
The President of UMES, Dr Heidi M. Anderson; Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr Rondall Allen; Other Vice Presidents and Deans herein present; The Acting Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Dr T. Sean Vasaitis; The Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr Victor Hsia; The Chair for Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Dr Mariam C. Purnell; Faculty and Staff of UMES; All protocol observed.
I have the singular honour to stand before you this morning to make a few remarks at this important ceremony where our two institutions, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, UMES, and Sunyani Technical University, STU, are signing an articulation agreement to provide opportunity for the students from Sunyani Technical University Pharmacy Technician programme to continue to the Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD, level to fulfil their academic progression needs.
First of all, let me use this opportunity to thank you and your Management Team for the opportunity offered us to your esteemed University. We have enjoyed all the hospitality and attention given to us in the past 5 days, including the interactions with the Faculty and Staff, tour in the various departments and the various working sessions. Madam President, we are grateful.
In fact, this is a dream come true as this articulation agreement is in fulfilment of a memorandum of understanding our two institutions signed way back in 2017 to provide avenues for academic partnership in joint academic programmes, student and staff exchange, joint research and many others. Today, students from the Pharmacy Technician programme at STU can heave a sigh of relief as their major challenge of not having an opportunity for academic progression has been resolved through this articulation agreement we are about to sign. The issue of HND Pharmacy Technician students in Ghana having to end their educational career as Pharmacy Technicians at the HND Level is a thing of the past, as now HND Pharmacy Technician graduates can enroll at the Sunyani Technical University for one more year on our new Bachelor of Technology (BTech) programme and continue to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, UMES, to do a 3-year accelerated Dr of Pharmacy, PharmD, programme that will give opportunity for the students to earn dual degrees of BTech Pharmacy Technician degree from STU and Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD, degree from UMES. While STU is going to serve as a pipeline to feed the UMES Doctor of Pharmacy programme, we believe that this agreement will deepen our relationship as sister institutions for a symbiotic relationship.
Madam President, as I thank you and your management team for having invited us to be with you here in the USA for the signing of this important agreement, I suggest that you and I can work closely together to deepen the great friendship between our two institutions, for our mutual benefit.
On this note, I am happy to inform you that Sunyani Technical University has come of age as we are celebrating our 55th Anniversary this year with the grand durbar of the anniversary scheduled to take place on November 5, 2022. We would have been very happy if we could have you and your management team in attendance at this important ceremony. However, since the time for the invitation will be too short to bear, permit me, on behalf of the governing council of STU, to invite you to our 2023 graduation ceremony which comes off in January 2023, as our special guest of honour. I strongly believe that this will help consolidate the relationship between our two institutions as equal partners.
On this note, let me use this opportunity to bid you all good bye as my delegation brings our 5-day working visit to your University, which has been a great success, to an end. We only wish and pray that you will consider our invitation to visit the STU, come January 2023.
Long live STU-UMES academic partnership!
Long live Ghana!!
Long Live the USA!!!!
Thank you very much for your attention, and may God bless us all.