GIJ appoints new rector

The Governing Council of the Ghana Institute of Journalism has appointed Dr Wilberforce Sefakor Dzisah as the Rector of the Institute.

A statement signed by the institute’s Registrar, Mr Perry P.K Ofosu, said Dr Dzisah’s appointment takes effect from today,  September 1, 2014.  He succeeds Mr David Newton who retired on August 31, 2014. 

Before his appointment Dr Dzisah was the Vice-Rector of the Institute. He also served as the Dean of the Faculty of Communications and Social Science in the Institute.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Dr Dzisah said the prospects of the school were bright. 

“We are moving on a different tangent now. We have been given a charter to operate as a fully fledged university to award our own degrees, diplomas and certificates that is a challenge for us to try to develop all the necessary structures—institutional capacity, develop the faculty and ensure that what it takes to be a university are properly put in place,” he said. 

New and old campuses 

Currently, work on the university’s new site at Okponglo is at a standstill because of funding constraints.

The new Rector, however, said funds had just been released to continue the project. 

He, however, said the current campus would continue to play a key role in the institute’s developmental agenda. 

With accommodation for students being a major challenge facing the school, Dr Dzisah said the school was seeking partnership with some financiers and build operate and transfer organisations to build student hostels for the school. The new site would also have flats for lecturers. 

He was optimistic that at the end of the year, something positive would come out of the ongoing discussions. 

Dr Dzisah said he was hopeful that in the near future, the 55-year old school may turn its current campus into a Graduate School, which begins its Masters programme this year. 

Practical training for students 

On practical training, he said in the long term, the new site would have facilities including radio and television production studios to give students practical experience

“It is going to be part of the interim assessment.  It is not just the theory, now student’s competency in practical aspect would also be assessed,” he said. 

He said currently, the institute was engaged in collaboration with the Deustche Welle Academy for a trainer of trainers’ programme that sought to prepare team leaders for editorial and production work at the university radio station, GIJ Radio. 

“We want to move journalism to the level where at the time the students leave the school, they’ll be all round. They will be exposed to all aspects of journalism and communications. It would not just be a one-sided training, so that they can integrate easily into online, electronic or print media.

That aside, the institute’s newsletters, PR Today and The Communicator would also be revived to enhance print reporting experience. 

Academic qualifications 

An alumnus of the university himself, Dr Dzisah said the alumni of the school had a critical role to play in helping to uplift the image of the school. 

Dr Dzisah holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Communications and Media from the University of Westminister (United Kingdom) and a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism from the University of Wales (Cardiff University) also in the United Kingdom.

He is also a SUSI Scholar, University of Ohio (The Study of the United States Institute) and a product of the Keta Secondary School.

He has many publications and peer-reviewed papers to his credit. 

Dr Dzisah has contributed book chapters and reviewed a number of books and journal papers in his field of endeavour.

He has also attended and presented several papers at conferences in and outside Ghana and consulted for a number of organisations in and outside Ghana.