The Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) will mark 75 years in 2024, since it was instituted at the University of Ghana. The School and Conference which will take place from January 9 to 11, 2024, will be on the theme, “Nurturing Resilience: Adopting Technology and Embracing Humanism for Sustainable Development.”
At a ceremony to officially launch the School and Conference, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitilisation, who was the keynote Speaker, expressed her Ministry’s delight in collaborating with the School of Continuing and Distance Education at the College of Education, for the 75th edition.
She also announced the creation of the Digital Youth Village (DYV) in the University of Ghana, which would give students a practical feel of smart systems and cutting-edge technologies.
Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications and Digitilisation
“The Digital Youth Village for the Annual New Year School is a project I am very excited about. The project would enable our students have practical, hands-on learning about smart environments and smart offices alongside other cutting-edge technologies. Despite the challenges that have delayed fruition of the project, I can confidently say that the Digital Youth Village for the Annual New Year School and Conference of the University of Ghana will become a reality,” she said.
The Hon. Minister highlighted the University's proactive adaptation to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), noting its pioneering efforts in campus radio, fiber optic connectivity, and responsible communications tower installation. She emphasised the necessity of integrating ICTs into distance learning, especially in the post-COVID era of blended education.
She also underscored the importance of investing in research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and supporting educational institutions in integrating digital tools across all academic levels and programmes.
Prior to introducing the keynote speaker, Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, Provost, College of Education noted that, the ANYSC has over 74 years been a platform for discussing national issues with the view to stimulating multiple perspectives in recognition of Ghana’s rich and social architecture and the proven strength of intellectual communities.
Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, Provost, College of Education
Prof. Codjoe said the theme for the 2024 edition of the ANYSC underscores the need for concerted efforts to adopt artificial intelligence and technology to propel socio-economic development.
He further explained that, the ANYSC will be organised in partnership with the Tallinn University of Estonia, Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
Earlier in her opening remarks, Prof. Olivia A. T. F. Kwapong, Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, explained that the emerging development challenges at the national and global levels call for academia to strengthen collaboration with other stakeholders to provide reliable solutions.
Prof. Kwapong said addressing current development challenges is largely dependent on the deployment of technology and innovations, for which reason the University of Ghana is focusing on building infrastructure to develop the capacity of the younger generation. She also added that, the Digital Youth Village is being explored by the University in line with the Vice-Chancellor’s digitalisation agenda.
Prof. Olivia A. T. F. Kwapong, Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education
Giving his remarks, Dr. Jack Andrew Dotsey, the Executive Director of the Annual New Year School and Conference, remarked that the 2024 edition of the ANYSC would provide the platform for citizens’ participation and demand accountability in local governance to ensure sustainable development, adding that the discussions would focus on subjects including, technology education, youth development, the 2024 election, security and peace building, digital economy and new local government system.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the partnering institutions, Deans of Schools in the College of Education, Heads of Department, faculty and staff of the College of Education.
