University of Ghana

The vision of the premier Ghana University; the University of Ghana has always been to develop a World-class human resources with capabilities to meet the nation's development needs and global challenges through quality teaching, learning, research and knowledge sharing[13] and "to become a world class research-intensive university over the next decade"[14].

The University of Ghana has in its mission to create and enabling environment that makes the university to increasingly become relevant to national and global development through cutting-edge research as well as high quality teaching and learning[15].

The four values of the University of Ghana education are Integrity, Commitment, Respect and Loyalty[16].

The University of Ghana strategic values include the following[17];

a. Relevant cutting edge research and community engagement

b. Highest international standard of teaching, learning and development of leadership

c. Fulfilling experiences for internal stakeholders

d. Equal opportunity in gender and adversity

e. Achieving greater effectiveness, and efficiency of institutional processes

f. Financial performance to enhance the mobilization and management of resources at unit and central administration levels

g. Strengthen the management of the University's assests and facilities

h. System-wide monitoring and evaluation

i. Build external stakeholder confidence in the capabilites of the university

University of Ghana Logo[18]

The Logo is made up of three colors; the midnight blue, lemon yellow and vegas gold[19]. The Blue shield with three ''AYA'' standing upright in top half and ''DWENINMENTOAS'' in the middle of bottom half, all embossed in gold[16]. The Logo was designed by A.M.Opoku[20]. ''AYA''(Akan word for fern) is an Adinkra Symbol. The ''AYA'' grows straight and it is used here to represent truthfulness and an ability to stay upright.

Ram's Horns:'Dweninmen' (Akan word for Ram's Horn) is an Adinkra symbol[21]. Here, two interlocking ram's horns (DWENINMENTOASO) have been used to symbolise strength and a call to pursue a path of integrity[21].

Until the year 1998, the Head of State acted as Chancellor of the University of Ghana.[28]  Thus, from 1961 when the University of Ghana was established by an Act of Parliament, the first Head of State of independent Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became the first Chancellor of the University of Ghana.[29] 

The following have held the position of Chancellor of the University:

• Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (1961-1965)[28]
• General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1966-1968)[28]
• General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa (1969 - )[28]
• Justice Edward Akufo-Addo (1970-1971)[28]
• General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (1972-1979)[28]
• Dr. Hilla Limann (1979-1981)[28]
• Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings (1982-1991)[28]
• Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II (1998-2005)[28]
• Kofi Annan (2008-2018)[28]

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE GOLD COAST

David Mowbray Balme (1948-1957), Principal[31]

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF GHANA

David Mowbray Balme (1957-1958), Principal[32]

Raymond Henry Stoughton (1958-1961), Principal[33]

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

• Conor Cruise O'Brien (1962-1965), Vice-Chancellor[34]
• Alexander Adum Kwapong (1966-1975), Vice-Chancellor[35]
• Daniel Adzei Bekoe (1976-1983), Vice-Chancellor[36]
• Akilagpa Sawyerr (1985-1992), Vice-Chancellor[37]
• George Benneh (1992-1996), Vice-Chancellor[38]
• Ivan Addae-Mensah (1996-2002), Vice-Chancellor[39]
• Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere (2002-2006), Vice-Chancellor[40]
• Clifford Nii-Boi Tagoe (2006-2010), Vice-Chancellor[41]
• Ernest Aryeetey (2010-2016), Vice-Chancellor[42]

Main entrance to the Balme Library

The Balme Library was established in 1948 as the Achimota College Library.[43] It is the main and mother library of the university's library network.[44] The Balme library is located on the main campus of the University. The central location of the Library, its facilities and the scope of the coverage of the collection makes it a very important and vital part of academic life on campus.[44]

The Library provides excellent facilities, products and services. Products include reference materials, text books, journal databases and study carrels. Facilities include the 24 hr reading room, the Research Commons (RC), the Knowledge Commons (KC), the Information Access Center (IAC) printing and binding services, photocopy services and a networked environment with computers.[44]

There are six schools, and one research institute under this college.[45][46] They include:

• School of Medicine and Dentistry
• School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences
• School of Nursing Located on the Legon campus though its students receive practical training at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
• School of Pharmacy
• School of Public Health
• School of Education and Leadership
• Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research
• Centre for Tropical, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Starting from the 2014/2015 academic year, the University of Ghana adopted the collegiate system[47] and thus categorized all schools and departments under four colleges, which are:

• College of Basic and Applied Sciences
• College of Humanities
• College of Education
• College of Health Sciences

There are five faculties outside the above colleges and they include:

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Social Studies

Department of Economics of University of Ghana

• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Law; the Faculty of Law was first established as a department of the Faculty of Social Studies in the 1958/59 academic year and became a full-fledged faculty in the 1960/61 academic year.[48] From the 2012/2013 academic year, the university will admit fresh Senior High School (S.H.S) students into the LLB first-degree program, but will retain the post-first degree program. Thus the university will have two entry means to the Faculty of Law[49].
• Faculty of Engineering Sciences

The Legon Campus lies about 13 kilometers north-east of Accra, the capital of Ghana. this is where most of the University's teaching and research are carried out. The Legon Campus also houses the central administration of the University. there are a number if student residences located on the Legon Campus[21]

The Korle-Bu Campus, headed by a Provost, houses the administration of the College of Health Sciences. Some of the constituent schools are also located on the Korle-Bu Campus; the School of Medicine and Dentistry and the School of Allied Health Sciences.

This campus is strategically located in the heart of the city

The university has Distance Education campuses in the various regions where it runs a variety of programs, including degree courses.[50] Awudome College has residential facilities that enable short courses over weekends and other duration to be run there.

• Accra Workers' College, (now Accra City campus) Accra
• Awudome Residential Workers' College, Tsito
• Bolgatanga Workers' College, Bolgatanga
• Cape Coast Workers' College, Cape Coast
• Ho Workers' College, Ho
• Koforidua Workers' College, Koforidua
• Kumasi Workers' College, Kumasi
• Takoradi Workers' College, Sekondi-Takoradi
• Tamale Workers' College, Tamale
• Tema Workers' College, Tema
• Sunyani Workers' College, Sunyani
• Wa Workers' College, Wa

• International Association of Universites (IAU)
• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
• Association of African Universities (AAU)
• World Universities Network (WUN)
• Norwegian Universities' Committee for Development Research and Education
• Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
• International Student Exchange Programmes (ISEP)
• Universities Students Exchange Consortium (USAC)[21]

• Accra College of Medicine, Accra
• African University College of Business & Technology, Accra
• Catholic University College, Sunyani
• Christian Service University College, Kumasi
• Family Health Medical School, Accra
• Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Accra
• Ghana Institute of Languages, Accra
• Institute of Accountancy Training, Accra
• Islamic University College, Accra
• Knustford University College, Accra
• Methodist University College, Accra
• Narh-Bita College, Tema
• Nightingale School of Nursing, Accra
• National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Accra
• Presbyterian University College, Mpraeso/AbetifiOkwahu
• Regional Maritime University, Accra
• St. Peter's Seminary, Cape-Coast
• St. Paul's Seminary, Sowutuom-Achimota
• St. Victor's Seminary, Tamale
• Western Hills School of Nursing, Accra
• Wisconsin Int. University College, Accra[52]
  

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2018 ranks the University of Ghana at the 800-1000th place globally and 17th in Africa (rank shared with other universities)[56].

• Malaria Research
• Trans-disciplinary Research into Climate Change Adaption
• Enhancing Food Production and Processing
• Development Policy and Poverty Monitoring and Evaluation[21]
  
• Kade Agricultural Research Station

Kade Agricultural Research Centre

Kade Agricultural Research Station, or Kade Agricultural Research Centre, is an agricultural research center located at Kade, in the Eastern Region of Ghana is part of the University of Ghana Centers of Research and Learning.[57] It is one of the three agricultural research centers of Ghana's university. The center at Kade was established in 1957. It covers an area of 99.3 hectares and is mainly concerned with research into production of forest zone crops such as citrus, plantain, cocoyam, oil palm and rubber, with a special interest in agronomy of perennial crop plants.

• 
  Delonix regia at UGASS
• 
  Making of Rubber
• 
  Rubbers hanged to dry
• 
  Kade Agricultural Research Center Entrance

The halls of residence of the University of Ghana has been describes as "home way from home" Hall of residence are provided for graducate and undergraduate students. There are also flats and guest rooms for senior members and guests. There are the main halls of residence by the government of Ghana and private halls of residence by individuals and co-operate bodies[59][60]. The below is a caption of description of the halls of residence; Commonwealth hall, Legon hall, Mensah Sarbah hall, Volta hall, Akuafo hall and Jubilee hall at the University of Ghana, Legon.

• Commonwealth Hall (the university's only male hall of residence). Known as the vandals hall, the word VANDALS is an acronym for Vivacious, Affable, Neighborly, Devoted, Altruistic and Loyal. For the name vandals, the students of the Commonwealth Hall recognized themselves with the common name known as 'V' Mates with a response word 'Sharp'. The males of hall believe in and upholds customs and traditions. The VANDALS are said to have been represent the voices of the entire student body making the students cases and issues be heard for solutions beneficial to the entire student body. Always cladded themselves in red as the colour of their identity, ladies who wore red attire to their environment had always been given funs for identifying with them. The VANDALs pride themselves with leadership qualities and unity making the old VANDALS always proud to be once a VANDAL[61].
• Legon Hall (The Legon Hall is the premier hall of the University of Ghana). Legon hall was the first hall of residence to be considered and build on the University of Ghana campus. The hall is referred to as the premier hall. The name premier has gives some prestige to the students are who on residence at the hall. The Premier Hall of the University is located at the Centre of the school close to the biggest library (the Balme Library) in West African region. Just like the Mensah Sarbah hall and the Akuafo hall, the Legon hall is also a mixture of male and female students giving a strong bonding among male and female relationship on the campus. Legon hall has produced lots of prominent personalities who are today occupying higher offices in society[62]. The motto of the Legon hall is; Cui Multidum Datum, which means "human relations with examples"[63].
• Mensah Sarbah Hall (The Mensah Sarbah Hall is the first hall to be named after a hero of the nation; Dr. Mensah Sarbah hall said to be the most best and mixed hall of male and female on the university campus that has also won many laurels)
• Volta Hall (the university's only female hall of residence). It is the only all-female hall on campus known for their discipline and neatness. The hall has churned out many respectable women such as the first female Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woode. Beauty with brains
• Akuafo Hall The word Akuafo is an Akan word which means farmers. For this reason the hall is notably called the Farmers hall with a rich Ghanaian culture and tradition. The Akuafo hall of is the Hall of Excellence and the second hall of residence to be established in the University of Ghana. Their chieftaincy institution serves as a symbol of unity for students and also helps to promote and showcase the rich Ghanaian culture. The chief farmer and his queen mother are elected annually.
• Jubilee Hall. The Jubilee Hall is one of the halls of residence of the University of Ghana, Legon. The Jubilee hall is located on the south of the university campus, and opposite to the International students’ hostel. Th Jubilee was built to commemorate the Universitys’ Golden Jubilee celebration in 1998. The hall was mainly built through a support funds from alumni of the university[64].  

The university has eight newly created halls of residence that were commissioned in 2011. They are:

• Alexander Kwapong Hall, named after Professor Alexander Kwapong a former Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of State.[65]
• Jean Nelson Hall, named after an alumnus, Jean Nelson Aka. It was inaugurated in July. Its emblem shows a candle, a book and a pen to symbolize perseverance. It was designed by a final year Physics-Computer Science major student Raymond Sung-Seh Harrison. The motto of the hall, "Lux in Tenebris", which is Latin for "Light in Darkness", was suggested by Raymond's mate at the time, a lady by the name Muna Twerefour". The emblem was officially adopted on Tuesday, 2 April 2013.
• Hilla Limann Hall, the first of the University of Ghana Enterprise Limited (UGEL) hostels to be completed. It was inaugurated in July 2010.[66] during which the Vice-Chancellor announced the decision to name it after Hilla Limann, a former President of the Republic of Ghana. Senior members of the University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor. Students assigned/affiliated to the Hall form the Junior members. The Head of Hall, Senior Tutor and fellow tutors as a body helps with the governing of the Hall.
• Elizabeth Sey Hall, the second of the newer halls built by University of Ghana Enterprise Limited (UGEL) Hostels to be completed. It was inaugurated in July 2010 and was named after the first female graduate of the university, Elizabeth Frances Baaba Sey.
• Africa Union Hall, formerly called Pentagon, built by Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT)
• James Topp Nelson Yankah Hall, formerly known as Teachers Fund (TF) Hostel.[67]
• Bani Hall, initially a private hostel and later turned into a hall after the tenancy agreement with the University had elapsed.
• Evandy Hall, formerly Evandy Hostel and this was turned into a hall after the tenancy agreement with the University elapsed and ownership transferred to University authorities,

Entrance to Mensah Sarbah Hall, University of Ghana

There are ten university hostels: the International Students' Hostels (I and II), the Valco Trust Hostel, The Commonwealth Hall, The Akuafo Hall, The Mensah Sarbah Hall, The Legon Hall, The Limann Hall, The Kwapong Hall, The Elizabeth Sey Hall and the Jean Aka Nelson hall. There are also private hostels, SSNIT Hostels (Ghana Hostels also known as Pentagon).[68]

Ghana Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Bank, Cal Bank, HFC Bank, Access Bank, Stanbic Bank, Ecobank Ghana and Prudential Bank have branches on the Legon campus. There is a branch of the national postal service (Ghana Post) on campus. Other banks have ATMs on campus.

From 1 February 2014, all vehicles entering the University of Ghana's main campus, and also those using the road passing through the Staff Village of the University were required to pay charges. This was heavily criticized by public and students and was therefore suspended[69]. Currently, various entry points into the campus require vehicle owners (typically staff and students) to obtain electronically scannable cards issued and authorized by the transport unit of the university.