By Jesse Ampah Owusu, GNA
Accra, Feb. 7, GNA – The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has launched a PhD in Public Policy Leadership programme to help build the capacity of policymakers.
The school also launched bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in Applied Statistics aimed at enriching statistical research and analysis.
This makes a total of 69 fully accredited programmes currently run by the University after being granted accreditation to introduce its first undergraduate degree programmes in 2005.
Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, the Vice Chancellor, UPSA, said the new programmes were geared towards emerging trends in nation building, with a focus on policy and data analysis and evaluation.
“Leadership without policy insights leads to instability. Policy without evidence leads to inefficiency, and data without integrity leads to confusion,” he said.
Prof Mawutor said the PHD programme came about as a result of engagement with a Member of Parliament on the need to build the capacity of MPs in policy making and evaluation..
He said they then engaged with the Education Unit and leadership of Parliament in the course development process, ensuring that it was practical and industry-driven.
“The magnitude of work they do, on the floor of Parliament requires that they evaluate and assess policies, hence our focus on them,” Prof Mawutor said.
“In the coming days, we may have a meeting to launch the programme on the premises of Parliament so that parliamentarians will not have to travel to UPSA,” he added.
The PHD is a four-year programme, extendable for two years with a blended approach of virtual and in-person delivery.
The Statistics programmes will also run on a four-year period for the bachelor’s and two years for the master’s
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe