Corporate Identity: The Case of the University for Development Studies

The new competitive environment within the higher education sector is propelling most Universities to continuously embark on some thoughtful strategic and consistent marketization and planned effort to project their corporate image and reputation. Established a little over two decades ago, the University for Development Studies (UDS) as a higher educational institution is gradually moving from its growth stage to a matured staged. This requires the university to move from a comprehensive institution to a more focused entity. It is therefore extremely crucial to examine what makes the UDS unique and how the community perceive the University as an institution and finally, in what ways key stakeholders or actors can do to improve its corporate identity and reputation. The paper argues that the corporate identity and reputation of the University lie in its Community Development embedded programmes and the blended community-based teaching and learning model. The paper found that 69.84% of the respondents agree that the current corporate reputation of UDS was good. The paper also found several approaches to enhancing the corporate image of the university. These include a well-design marketing strategy; designing market-oriented academic programmes, establish more lecture series, and support quality research publications. Other recommendations for improving the corporate identity of the University are discussed. Keywords: corporate identity, University, corporate reputation, survey, Ghan

ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY IN THE UNIVERSITIES: PAST AND PRESENT

Academic freedom and autonomy have since mediaeval times been considered the hubs around which critical and independent thinking revolved. Men like Socrates, Copernicus, Galileo and Bertrand Russell suffered many indignities in defence of these ideals. Hiring and firing Vice-Chancellors always raise the issue of academic freedom in universities to choose their teachers and operate within their ivory towers without any interference. Besides observations, the work relied on literature review. The paper defines academic freedom and autonomy, carefully details how university councils, academic boards and other committees have resisted outside intrusions into these cherished ideals. Unsuccessful onslaughts at the freedom and autonomy of universities have only called for more consultations and collaboration between governments and university leaderships. This ideal relationship is to harmonise scholastic pursuits with national goals and aspirations. While one cannot expect the government, as financiers of public universities, to look on unconcerned about what happens inside its universities. An appreciation of each other’s expectations and roles can harness national development without any players feeling traumatized and befuddled. Increased participation of academics in partisan politics and scrupulous regard for merit and committee work in universities will not only improve government understanding of universities, but also create peaceful industrial atmospheres in universities to render both interference and censure unnecessary.