, mottoeng = The knot of wisdom is untied only by the wise
[
, established = 1952; ][History of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology](_blank)
Retrieved 2009-10-29.
, type = Public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
, endowment =
, chairman =
, chancellor = King Osei Tutu II (Asantehene
The is the title for the monarch of the historical Ashanti Empire as well as the ceremonial ruler of the Ashanti people today. The Ashanti royal house traces its line to the Oyoko (an ''Abusua'', or "clan") Abohyen Dynasty of Nana Twum and t ...
)
, vice_chancellor = Prof Rita Akosua Dickson
Rita Akosua Dickson (born 1 August 1970) is a Ghanaian phytochemist and the first female Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Early life and education
She attended St. Monica's Secondary School in Mampong- ...
, city = Kumasi
Kumasi (historically spelled Comassie or Coomassie, usually spelled Kumase in Twi) is a city in the Ashanti Region, and is among the largest metropolitan areas in Ghana. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe, and is the ...
, state = Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is located in southern part of Ghana and it is the third largest of 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of or 10.2 percent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the mo ...
, country = Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, undergrad = -
, postgrad = 2,306
, administrative_staff = 4,178
, affiliations = See below
, campus = Suburban area
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
, colours =
Lust
Lust is a psychological force producing intense desire for something, or circumstance while already having a significant amount of the desired object. Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality (see libido), money, or power. It can ...
, black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
, forest green
At right is displayed the color forest green.
''Forest green'' refers to a green color said to resemble the color of the trees and other plants in a forest.
This web color, when written as computer code in HTML for website color display, is w ...
and yellow
Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the R ...
, mascot =
, website
www.knust.edu.gh
, coor =
, logo =
, footnotes =
, students = 100,000+ (2020)
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is a public University
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
of Ghana that focuses on science and technology. The Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. An in ...
University of Science and Technology is the public university
A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private university. Whether a national universit ...
established in the country, as well as the largest university in the Kumasi Metropolis and in the Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is located in southern part of Ghana and it is the third largest of 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of or 10.2 percent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the mo ...
of Ghana. KNUST has its roots in the plans of Agyeman Prempeh I, a ruler of the Ashanti Kingdom, to establish a university in Kumasi as part of his drive towards modernization of his Ashanti kingdom
The Asante Empire (Asante Twi: ), today commonly called the Ashanti Empire, was an Akan state that lasted between 1701 to 1901, in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from the Ashanti Region to include most of Ghana as well as parts of Iv ...
. This plan never came to fruition due to the clash between British empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
expansion and the desire for King Prempeh I to preserve his Ashanti kingdom's independence.
However, his younger brother and successor, King Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh II, upon ascending to the Golden Stool
The Golden Stool ( Ashanti- tw, Sika dwa; full title, Sika Dwa Kofi "the Golden Stool born on a Friday") is the royal and divine throne of kings of the Ashanti people and the ultimate symbol of power in Asante. According to legend, Okomfo Anoky ...
in 1935, continued with this vision. Events in the Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
in the 1940s played into his hands. First there was the establishment of the University College of the Gold Coast. Secondly, there were the 1948 Accra riots and the consequent Watson Commission report which recommended that a university of sciences be established in Kumasi
Kumasi (historically spelled Comassie or Coomassie, usually spelled Kumase in Twi) is a city in the Ashanti Region, and is among the largest metropolitan areas in Ghana. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe, and is the ...
. Thus, in 1949, the dream of the Prempehs became a reality when building started on what was to be called the Kumasi College of Technology.
The Kumasi College of Technology offered admission to its first students to the engineering faculty in 1951 (however, those students started academic work in 1952), and an Act of Parliament gave the university its legal basis as the in 1952. The nucleus of the college was formed from 200 teacher training students transferred from Achimota College
Achimota School ( /ɑːtʃimoʊtɑː/ ), formerly Prince of Wales College and School at Achimota, later Achimota College, now nicknamed Motown, is a co-educational boarding school located at Achimota in Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana. The schoo ...
in the Greater Accra Region
The Greater Accra Region has the smallest area of Ghana's 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 3,245 square kilometres. This is 1.4 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. It is the second most populated region, befor ...
. The college was affiliated to the University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
. In 1961, the college was granted full university status.
The university covers a total land area of 2512.96 acres. The main campus which is about seven square miles in area, is about to the east of Kumasi, the Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is located in southern part of Ghana and it is the third largest of 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of or 10.2 percent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the mo ...
al capital.
Ranks
In November 2019, KNUST was ranked as the best university in Ghana and West Africa by '' U.S. News & World Report''. It was also ranked 14th in Africa and 706th in the world, with a global score of 42.4. In November 2020 it was ranked the best for the second time by ''U.S. News & World Report.'' This time it climbed 2 positions to be 12th best in Africa.
The latest Times Higher Education impact ranking in 2022 adjudged KNUST as the best university in quality education in Africa and 14th globally.
History
Early history
The Kumasi College of Technology opened officially on 22 January 1952 with 200 teacher training students transferred from Achimota
Achimota ( ), is a town in the Accra Metropolitan District, a district of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Achimota means "speak no name" in the Ga language
Ga is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. There ar ...
, to form the nucleus of the new college. In October 1952, the School of Engineering and the Department of Commerce were established and the first students were admitted. A Pharmacy Department was established in January 1953, with the transfer of the former School of Pharmacy from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is a public teaching hospital located in the Ablekuma South Metropolitan District in Accra, Ghana. It is the only public tertiary hospital in the southern part of the country. It is a teaching hospital affiliate ...
, Accra
Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
, to the college. The department ran a two-year comprehensive course in Pharmacy leading to the award of the Pharmacy Board Certificate. A Department of Agriculture was opened in the same year to provide ad hoc courses of varying duration, from a few terms to three years, for the Ministry of Agriculture. A Department of General Studies was instituted to prepare students for the Higher School Certificate Examinations in Science and Arts subjects and to give instruction in subjects as requested by the other departments.
From 1952 to 1955, the School of Engineering prepared students for professional qualifications only. In 1955, the school embarked on courses leading to the University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
Bachelor of Engineering External Degree Examinations.
In 1957, the School of Architecture, Town Planning and Building was inaugurated. Its first students were admitted in January 1958, for professional course. As the college expanded, it was decided to make the Kumasi College of Technology a purely science and technology institution. In pursuit of this policy, the Teacher Training College, with the exception of the Art School, was transferred in January 1958, to the Winneba Training College; in 1959 the Commerce Department was transferred to Achimota to form the nucleus of the present School of Administration of the University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities.
The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...
, Legon.
In December 1960, the Government of Ghana
The Government of Ghana was created as a parliamentary democracy, followed by alternating military and civilian governments in Ghana. In January 1993, military government gave way to the Fourth Republic after presidential and parliamentary electi ...
appointed a University Commission to advise it on the development of university education, in connection with the proposal to transform the University College of Ghana and the Kumasi College of Technology into an independent University of Ghana. Following the report of the commission which came out early 1961, the government decided to establish two independent universities in Kumasi and Legon
Legon , a suburb of the Ghanaian city Accra, is situated about north-east of the city center in the Accra Metropolis District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. Ghanaia ...
, Accra. The Kumasi College of Technology was thus transformed, under the supervision of R. P. Baffour
Robert Patrick Baffour, (born 14 May 1912 – 6 June 1993), was a Ghanaian engineer, politician and university administrator who served as the first Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He was also ...
, into a full-fledged University Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology by an Act of Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
on 22 August 1961. The name honors Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah (born 21 September 190927 April 1972) was a Ghanaian politician, political theorist, and revolutionary. He was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. An in ...
, the first prime minister and later president of Ghana
The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the 2020 presidential elec ...
.
The name was changed to University of Science and Technology after the Revolution of 24 February 1966. The University of Science and Technology was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, 20 November 1961. However, another act of Parliament (Act 559 of 1998) changed the name back to its original version, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.
Organization and administration
Principal officers
The principal officers of the university are the chancellor, chairman of the University Council and vice-chancellor. As of 2018, the position of chancellor was held by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Governing body
Governance is carried out by the University Council, primarily through the Academic Board, which is responsible for:
* formulating and carrying out the academic policy of the university
* devising and regulating the courses of instruction and study, and supervising research
* regulating the conduct of examinations and the award of degrees, diplomas and certificates
* advising the University Council on the admission of students and the award of scholarships
* reporting on such matters as may be referred to it by the University Council
Student participation in university administration
Students through the participate in the administration of the university through their representatives serving on the University Council, Academic Board, the Welfare Services Board, Faculty and Departmental Boards, Residence Committee, Library Committee and on the Hall Councils.
The council operates with a budget that is primarily dispensed to student organizations, but it also funds social events and student initiatives. As the sole representative student government, the KNUST SRC provides student services like most student unions and also performs advocacy on behalf of the student body.
Collegiate system
KNUST has, since January 2005, transformed from its previous centralized system of administration into a decentralized collegiate university
A collegiate university is a university in which functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges. Historically, the first collegiate university was the University of Paris and its first college was the C ...
. Under this system, the faculties have been condensed into six colleges.
The university had been administered on the faculty-based system. This led to administrative difficulties as new faculties and institutes were created to meet the ever-growing academic pursuits of students. To solve this problem, a collegiate system was officially adopted on 29 November 2004. On 5 April 2005, the pioneering provosts were inducted and invested into office at the Great Hall of the KNUST.
The colleges are semi-autonomous, which means that they are given the power to largely run on their own without much dependence on the central administration for financial support. A college registrar, finance officer and librarian assist the provosts. Under them are the faculties, centres and institutes, headed by deans and directors. As heads of the colleges, the provosts provide academic and administrative leadership for the colleges and oversee their overall running.[.]
Housing and accommodation
There are numerous KNUST approved hostels
A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and have private or shared ba ...
, mostly in close proximity to the main campus. Students of all financial backgrounds have their accommodation needs catered for. There are six halls of residence at the Kumasi campus, each administered by a hall council consisting of senior and junior members. There are few hostels on campus like the GUSSS hostels, Brunei, and Tek credit hostel. The executive head is the hall master, who is assisted by a senior tutor. There is a hall bursar and other supporting staff.
Halls of residence
* University Hall (Katanga)
* Unity Hall (Conti)
* Independence Hall
* Queens Hall
* Republic Hall
* Africa Hall
Hostels
About 60% of the student population is non-resident. There are private hostels around the campus and in Kumasi for students who, as a result of the limited facilities/rooms, could not be admitted as resident students.
There are facilities on campus where non-resident students can rest between lectures and study before they leave for their homes and hostels.
In January 2014, the top floor of the Crystal Rose Hostel caught fire while most students were on vacation. The cause of the fire is still not known.
International students
There is a large multinational international community at KNUST as a result of the high standards of education. There is an international student association that sees to the interests of foreign students such as accommodation, orientation and campus tours.
Academics
From the 2010/11 academic year some of the colleges operate a two-tier system, while others maintain their three-tier system.
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources CANR
* Faculty of Agriculture
** Department of Agricultural Economics
Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fiber products.
Agricultural economics began as a branch of economics that specif ...
, Agribusiness
Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy,
in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise.
The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit w ...
and Extension
** Department of Animal Sciences
Animal science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of humankind". It can also be described as the production and management of farm animals. Historically, the degree was called animal husbandry and the ...
** Department of Crop
A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...
and Soil Sciences
Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to th ...
** Department of Horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
* Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources
** Department of Agroforestry
Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. Trees produce a wide range of useful and marketable products from fruits/nuts, medicines, wood products, etc. This intentional ...
** Department of Fisheries
Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...
and Watershed Management Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed fun ...
** Department of Silviculture
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests to meet values and needs, specifically timber production.
The name comes from the Latin ('forest') and ('growing'). The study of forests and wo ...
and Forest Management Forest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, protection, and forest regulation. This includes management for ...
** Department of Wildlife and Range Management
** Department of Wood Science and Technology
Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...
* Faculty of Forest Resources Technology
** Department of Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...
and Forest Recreation
Reforestation (occasionally, reafforestation) is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands (forestation) that have been depleted, usually through deforestation, but also after clearcutting.
Management
A debate ...
** Department of Land Reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...
and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to:
Health
* Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished
* Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
** Department of Social Forestry
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
** Department of Wood Processing
Wood processing is an engineering discipline in the wood industry comprising the production of forest products, such as pulp and paper, construction materials, and tall oil. Paper engineering is a subfield of wood processing.
The major wood pro ...
and Marketing
Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...
College of Health Sciences
* Faculty of Allied Health Sciences
** Department of Medical Laboratory Technology
** Department of Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
** Department of Sonography
Medical ultrasound includes diagnostic techniques (mainly medical imaging, imaging techniques) using ultrasound, as well as therapeutic ultrasound, therapeutic applications of ultrasound. In diagnosis, it is used to create an image of internal ...
** Department of Sports and Exercise Science
* Faculty of Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...
and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links healt ...
**Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Medicinal or pharmaceutical chemistry is a scientific discipline at the intersection of chemistry and pharmacy involved with designing and developing pharmaceutical drugs. Medicinal chemistry involves the identification, synthesis and developmen ...
**Department of Pharmacology
Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...
**Department of Pharmacognosy
Pharmacognosy is the study of medicinal plants and other natural substances as sources of drugs. The American Society of Pharmacognosy defines pharmacognosy as "the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical, and biological properties of drug ...
**Department of Pharmacy Practice
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...
**Department of Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutics is the discipline of pharmacy that deals with the process of turning a new chemical entity (NCE) or old drugs into a medication to be used safely and effectively by patients. It is also called the science of dosage form design. The ...
**Department of Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...
** Dental School
**School of Medical Sciences
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practice ...
**School of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
* Faculty of Law
A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...
* Faculty of Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
** Department of Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
** Department of English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
** Department of Geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...
and Rural Development
Rural development is the process of improving the quality life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas, often relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas.
Rural development has traditionally centered on the exploitation of l ...
** Department of History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
and Political Studies
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
** Department of Modern Languages
A modern language is any human language that is currently in use. The term is used in language education to distinguish between languages which are used for day-to-day communication (such as French and German) and dead classical languages such a ...
** Department of Religious Studies
** Department of Sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
and Social Work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
* School of Business
Colleges under the two-tier system (Provost/Head of Department):
College of Art and Built Environment
:The College of Art and Built Environment formerly known as College of Architecture and Planning came into existence in January 2005 as part of the restructuring of the University into a Collegiate System. In the restructuring, the Faculty of Environmental and Development studies (FEDS) and the Institute of Land Management and Development (ILMAD) were merged to form the College. FEDS comprised three teaching departments: Department of Architecture, department of Building Technology and Department of Housing and Planning Research. ILMAD comprised two departments, Department of Land Economy and the Land Resources Centre. The college currently comprises two faculties, ten teaching departments and one research institute:
:* Department of Communication Design
Communication design is a mixed discipline between design and information-development which is concerned with how media communicate with people. A communication design approach is not only concerned with developing the message in addition to the ...
:* Department of General Art Studies
:* Department of Painting and Sculpture
:* Department of Integrated Rural Art/Industry
:* Department of Industrial Art
Industrial design is a process of design applied to physical products that are to be manufactured by mass production. It is the creative act of determining and defining a product's form and features, which takes place in advance of the manufactu ...
:*Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology
:* Department of Publishing Studies
:* Department of Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
:* Department of Building Technology
:* Department of Land Economy
:* Department of Planning
:* Centre for Settlements Studies
:* Centre for Land Studies
College of Engineering
:* Department of Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural engineering, also known as agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical, civil, ...
:* Department of Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...
:* Department of Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials int ...
:* Department of Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
:* Department of Computer Engineering
Computer engineering (CoE or CpE) is a branch of electrical engineering and computer science that integrates several fields of computer science and electronic engineering required to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineers ...
:* Department of Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
/Electronic Engineering
Electronics engineering is a sub-discipline of electrical engineering which emerged in the early 20th century and is distinguished by the additional use of active components such as semiconductor devices to amplify and control electric current ...
& Telecommunication Engineering
Telecommunications Engineering is a subfield of electrical engineering which seeks to design and devise systems of communication at a distance. The work ranges from basic circuit design to strategic mass developments. A telecommunication enginee ...
:* Department of Geological Engineering
Geological engineering is a discipline of engineering concerned with the application of geological science and engineering principles to fields, such as civil engineering, mining, environmental engineering, and forestry, among others.M. Diederichs, ...
:* Department of Geodetic Engineering
Geodesy ( ) is the Earth science of accurately measuring and understanding Earth's figure (geometric shape and size), orientation in space, and gravity. The field also incorporates studies of how these properties change over time and equivale ...
:* Department of Geomatic Engineering
:* Department of Materials Engineering
:* Department of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...
:* Department of Petroleum Engineering
College of Science
:* Department of Biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
and Biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...
:* Department of Chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
:* Department of Computer Science
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
:* Department of Environmental Science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...
:* Department of Food Science and Technology
:* Department of Mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
:* Department of Optometry and Visual Science
:* Department of Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
:* Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary in ...
:* Department of Statistics
Statistics (from German language, German: ''wikt:Statistik#German, Statistik'', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of ...
and Actuarial Sciences
Institute of Distance Learning
In the year 2005, the KNUST adopted distance learning as a viable complement to the conventional face-to-face system of education. This decision was made to offer opportunity for people to pursue academic programmes with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, while still on full-time employment.
In October 2007, the Academic Board changed the status of the Faculty of Distance Learning to the Institute of Distance Learning.
Library and digital resources
The KNUST Library provides information in electronic and print formats to staff and students mainly to support teaching, learning and research in science and technology for national development. It is a depository library for all materials published in Ghana and for international institutions and organisations like the World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and other United Nations Agencies
The United Nations System consists of the United Nations' six principal organs (the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the UN Secretariat), ...
.
Digital services are available through the Open Educational Resource (OER) as well as the DSpace repository.
* The Open educational resources
Open educational resources (OER) are Instructional materials, teaching, learning, and research materials intentionally created and Free license, licensed to be free for the end user to own, share, and in most cases, modify. The term "OER" descri ...
(OER) component of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology fosters collaboration on curricula, course materials, and content; generates connections between disciplines, teachers, and learners; and inspires use of educational materials in a more effective way.
* KNUST Online Repository is the university's digital repository. Data for the repository is still being added.
Affiliated institutions
* Accra Institute of Technology
The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), is an independent technology-focused research university based in Accra, Ghana. The university comprises six schools and three institutes.
The university is modeled on internationally renowned institutes ...
* Akim State University College
* All Nations University College
* Central University College
The Central University was founded by the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) in Accra, Ghana. It was founded as a pastoral training institute by Mensah Otabil in 1988. In June 1991, it was known as the Central Bible College. It later b ...
* DataLink University College(DLUC)
* Garden City University College
The Garden City University College is one of the private universities in Ghana. It is located at Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. It was established in 2001. as the College of Information Technology and Management Systems. The college was converted ...
* Ghana Telecom University College
Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) is a public technical university in Accra, Ghana founded in 2005.
The school was formerly known as Ghana Technology University College and Ghana Telecom University College. The change in name to G ...
* Ho Polytechnic
Ho Technical University, formerly Ho Polytechnic, is a public tertiary institution in the Volta Region of Ghana. The Polytechnic started in 1968 as a technical institute with the primary goal of providing pre-technical education. By 1972, the Inst ...
* Osei Tutu II Institute for Advanced ICT Studies
* Regent University College
* Spiritan Institute / Spiritan University College
In December 2019, an agreement was signed between the Gambian government and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to set up Science, Technology and Engineering University in The Gambia
The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...
. In the accord, the administrative and teaching faculties will be set up, coached by and affiliated to KNUST.
Research centres
* Bureau of Integrated Research and Development
Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...
* Centre for Biodiversity Utilisation and Development (CBUD)
* Centre for Cultural and African Studies
African studies is the study of Africa, especially the continent's cultures and societies (as opposed to its geology, geography, zoology, etc.). The field includes the study of Africa's history (pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial), demography ...
* Centre for Human Studies
* Dairy/Beef Research Station
* The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre, College Of Engineering
* Kumasi Center For Collaborative Research(KCCR) in collaboration with the German Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin) (BNITM) in Hamburg is Germany's largest institution for tropical medicine, with a workforce of about 250 people in Hamburg. It is member of the Leibniz-A ...
* National Institute for Mathematical Sciences
The mathematical sciences are a group of areas of study that includes, in addition to mathematics, those academic disciplines that are primarily mathematical in nature but may not be universally considered subfields of mathematics proper.
Statisti ...
(NIMS)
* Technology Consultancy Centre (TCC)
* Laboratory For Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA)
Media
Radio
Focus FM (94.3 FM) is the university's official radio station. Among its notable programmes are ''Morning Show'', ''Drive Time'', ''Teknokrat'' and ''Community Watch''.
About Focus FM
Focus FM is a network radio positioned on campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. It was established in the year 2000 A.D. The stakeholders are the UNIVERSITY, Student Representative Counsel and the Graduate Student Association of Ghana. The center targets for the status quo of the station is to inform, teach and entertain the whole college network and the encompassing communities. The important supply of investment is from students’ contribution into Focus FM improvement account.
How Focus FM Is Defined
Focus FM is focused not only to participate in the activities of the community, but in addition to allow the university to take part in the life of the station. This is why it is differentiated from other commercial and state radio – neither of which is seeks public participation, except when it suits them to do so. Focus FM offers democratic access to the activity of programme making itself. rather than being communicated at, people are offered the opportunity to communicate themselves.
Finance
Focus FM is a not-for-profit station. It secures its income from; Focus FM Development Fund, a form of commercial Sponsorship focused at serving the community, and a range of community / listener supported fundraisers.
Ghanaian Journalists Who Trained At Focus FM
* Nana Kwadwo Jantuah
Nana Kwadwo Jantuah (known as Samuel Kwadwo Jantuah, born 28 August 1985) is a Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist with Multimedia Group Limited. He is currently the host of Nhyira FM’s morning show in Kumasi. He is also the General Manager of Focus ...
* Edward Oppong Marfo
* Kwame Adinkra
Luther King Kwame Adinkra, popularly called Kwame Adinkra or Apotiti Mati, is a Ghanaian broadcast journalist, singer, philanthropist and a public speaker. He was formally the host and Chief Operating Officer manager for Angel Broadcasting Network ...
* Kojo Akoto Boateng
* Louis Kwame Sakyiamah (Lexis Bill)
* Anita Kuma
Anita Akua Kyerewaa Kuma (born 1980s) is a Ghanaian people, Ghanaian media personality, radio journalist. She is the host for ''Lunchtime Rhythms'' on Kumasi's most listened to English radio station, Luv FM. She was listed as number three of 10 on- ...
* Kojo Akoto Boateng
Television
TEK TV is the official television station of the university.
Awards and recognition
In November 2019, KNUST was ranked as the best university in Ghana and West Africa by ''U.S. News & World Report'' and still holds the record in 2020. It was also ranked 14th in Africa and 706th in the world, with a global score of 42.4.
KNUST was the first university in West Africa to have won the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Pan African Universities Debate Championship consecutively. KNUST is the first university in Ghana to win the Ghana national rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The university has also won the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition a record three consecutive times. In December 2020 KNUST became the first university in Africa to have won the Pan African Universities Debating Championship for 3 consecutive times.
Notable people
Notable alumni
In government and diplomacy
Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...
, Aliu Mahama
Alhaji Aliu Mahama (3 March 1946 – 16 November 2012) was a Ghanaian engineer and politician who was Vice-President of Ghana from 7 January 2001 to 7 January 2009. A member of the New Patriotic Party, he was Ghana's first Muslim Vice-Preside ...
Vice-president of Ghana from 2001 to 2008, studied at KNUST. Edward Kwame Wiredu
Edward Kwame Wiredu (c. 1936 – 31 January 2008) was the Chief Justice of Ghana between 2001 and 2003. He was the tenth since Ghana became an independent nation. He is noted for introducing the Fast Track High Courts in Ghana as well as Alter ...
, former Chief Justice of Ghana
The Chief Justice of Ghana is the highest-ranking judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The chief justice is also the head of the Judiciary of Ghana and is responsible for its administration and supervision. In order of state precedence, the chief ...
, was also a student at KNUST. Former first lady of Ghana
First Lady of Ghana is the title of the wife of a sitting president of Ghana. The current first lady is Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who has held the position since 2017. They are not officially given salaries but the Ghanaian first and second lady are b ...
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings
Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (born 17 November 1948) is a Ghanaian politician who was the First Lady of Ghana from 4 June 1979 to 24 September 1979 and from 31 December 1981 to 7 January 2001. Both times under President Jerry John Rawlings. In 2 ...
is an alumnus. Samira Bawumia
Samira Bawumia (née Ramadan) (born 20 August 1980) is a Ghanaian politician and the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana. She is married to the Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia.
Education
Samira began her early education at the Answar ...
, current second lady of Ghana, also is an alumnus.
UN Secretary-General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-ge ...
and Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemi ...
Laureate Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...
had a part of his education at KNUST.
Kwaku Aning
Kwaku Aning (born in 1946) is a Ghanaian diplomat, international civil servant and technologist who is Chairman of the governing board of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, having been appointed in July 2017. Aning is a former Deputy Director-Gen ...
and Hackman Owusu-Agyeman
Hackman Owusu-Agyemang (born November 22, 1941) is a Ghanaian politician and former member of Parliament for New Juabeng North constituency of the eastern region of Ghana. He is a member of the 3rd parliament of the 4th republic of Ghana and a ...
are other diplomats who graduated from KNUST.
Notable graduates from KNUST College of Engineering include the chemical engineer Thomas Mensah, former CEO of GNPC Alex Mould
Alex Kofi Mensah Mould is a Ghanaian chemical engineer and politician who is a former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation. He is a member of the National Democratic Congress of Ghana. Before he was appointed CEO of G ...
, CEO of Ghana Gas Benjamin Asante
Benjamin K. D. Asante is a Ghanaian engineer and international consultant for the gas and oil industry. He is a graduate of Mfantsipim School and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He is the chief executive officer of the Ghana ...
, and former CEO of Tullow Ghana Limited Charles Darku.
The novelist Amma Darko
Amma Darko (born 1956) is a Ghanaian novelist. She had won The Golden Baobab Prize for one of her novels. She has published seven novels in total.
Life and writing
She was born in Koforidua, Ghana, and grew up in Accra. She studied in Kumasi, ...
attended KNUST. Actor Chris Attoh
Chris Attoh (born Christopher Keith Nii Attoh; May 17, 1979) is a Ghanaian actor, film director, on-air personality, television presenter and producer. He is best known as "Kwame Mensah" in Nigerian soap opera ''Tinsel''.
Education
He attend ...
attended KNUST.
Nana Otuo Siriboe
Nana Otuo Siriboe is a Ghanaian traditional ruler, electrical engineer and entrepreneur. He is the Omanhene of the Juaben traditional area. He has served in several capacities in chieftaincy affairs and held many Government of Ghana appointment ...
, the Juabenhene who is also Chairman of Council of State, and economist
An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics.
The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana Ernest Aryeetey
Ernest Aryeetey (born 19 October 1955 in Kumasi, Kumasi, Ghana), is the secretary-general of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and a former vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana.
Prior to his appointment as vice-chancellor, ...
, graduated from the institution. Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo
Yaw Osafo-Maafo is a Ghanaian politician who was appointed in April as the senior presidential advisor to the Akufo-Addo Administration 2021. He was Senior Minister of the Republic of Ghana in the Akufo-Addo Administration from 2017 to 2021. He ...
graduated from the institution. Chairperson of the Uganda Planning Authority Pamela Mbabazi
Pamela Kasabiiti Mbabazi (born 6 April 1969) is a Ugandan university professor, academic, and academic administrator, who currently serves as the Chairperson of the National Planning Authority of Uganda. She was installed in that position in Apri ...
was also a student at KNUST.
Notable academics
*Francis Allotey
Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey (9 August 1932 – 2 November 2017) was a Ghanaian mathematical physicist. Together with Daniel Afedzi Akyeampong, he became the first Ghanaian to obtain a doctorate in mathematical sciences, earned in 1966.
Early ...
, mathematician
*Aba Andam
Professor Aba A. Bentil Andam (born 1948) is a Ghanaian particle physicist who was President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences from 2017–2019. She is the first Ghanaian female physicist.
Early life and education
Aba A. Bentil Andam was ...
, physicist
*Ablade Glover
Ablade Glover Order of the Volta, CV (born 1934) is a Ghanaian artist and educator. He has exhibited widely, building an international reputation over several decades, as well as being regarded as a seminal figure on the West African art scen ...
, artist
* Thomas Mensah, chemical engineer
*Letitia Obeng
Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng (10 January 1925 – 23 March 2023) was the first Ghanaian woman to obtain a degree in zoology and the first to be awarded a doctorate. She is described as "the grandmother of female scientists in Ghana".
Early lif ...
, research scientist
References
External links
*
Universities of Ghana Overseas Office
Students Representative Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology
Ashanti Empire
Education in Kumasi
Forestry education
Educational institutions established in 1952
1952 establishments in Gold Coast (British colony)