The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree on Professor Joshua Alabi in recognition of nearly five decades of distinguished service, leadership and transformational impact on the institution.
The honour was bestowed during a ceremony at the university’s main campus on Thursday, December 4, 2025, attended by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Council members, faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Prof Alabi, who has risen through every academic and administrative rank at the institution, described the award as profoundly meaningful, particularly because UPSA has shaped his life’s journey. “This recognition is not merely an award; it symbolises a collective story of faith, resilience and transformation,” he said.
He recalled entering the then Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) in 1976 as a Professional Accounting student and returning in 1987 as a lecturer. What followed, he noted, was a career built on “nurturing people, ideas and progress” as he moved through roles including Assistant Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Head of Marketing, Head of Management Consultancy, Dean of Management, Pro-Rector, Rector and ultimately the first Vice-Chancellor of UPSA.
A citation presented to him highlighted his role in steering the transformation of IPS into a fully fledged public university and his efforts in improving academic standards, strengthening institutional governance and shaping student development. It also acknowledged his earlier leadership on the international stage as President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in Russia in 1984 and NUGS President for Europe in 1985.
Prof Alabi expressed gratitude to successive administrations, staff and alumni for sustaining the university’s growth, noting that the progress of UPSA had been achieved through teamwork and shared vision. He encouraged the younger generation to embrace integrity, hard work and determination, emphasising that leadership is “a stewardship, not an ownership.”
He ended his address with appreciation to God, his family, colleagues and the wider university community, stressing that the ultimate measure of a career lies in the legacy one leaves behind.
To commemorate the award, the UPSA Global Alumni Association presented him with a customised anniversary Lacoste and a formal citation signed by its president, Francis Kodjo Dadzie.
