Reform business schools to meet 21st Century demands — Prof. Gatsi

A Professor of Finance and Dean of the University of Cape Coast School of Business, John Gartchie Gatsi, has called for the reform of business schools in the country to help produce more quality human resources that will meet the needs of 21st Century industry demands. 

He explained that reforms in training institutions would ensure students acquired 21st century skills such as adaptability, entrepreneurship, leadership, data and digital literacy.

Speaking at the launch of Business School Students' Association (BSA) at Wisconsin International University College, Ghana in Accra last Friday, Prof. Gatsi said there was the need to create a new generation of leaders with high cognitive skills to respond to the needs of the international job environment. 

The launch

On the theme: "The 21st Century business school: Challenges and opportunities," the launch provided an invaluable perspective on the evolving landscape of business education in the ever rapidly changing world.

Other speakers included the Vice- President, Wisconsin International University, Dr Lawrence Kannae; Dean, Wisconsin International University College, Business School,

Dr Bright Mawudor, and the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, Sena Dake, among others.

Change mindset

Prof. Gatsi stated that the country needed to have a change of mindset because trainees had been called upon to demonstrate adaptability, entrepreneurial, leadership, presentation, data and digital literacy skills to meet the demands of the market.

"We are now in an era where we will need to move our focus from transactional mode to transformation mode where we must integrate and collaborate with businesses to allow inputs and updates to help reflect on what is real from the world of work.

"We need to train people to have global mindset rather than training them as though we are preparing the students for the local environment.

As the country takes deliberate steps towards building global human resource, he said, the country must prioritise the 21st Century skills to make learning flexible for the students.

He also underscored the need for an increase in investments to make the 21st Century development skills possible.

"We must address the current problems in the training institutions such as internet connectivity, innovation hubs, incubator and accelerators.

"But when this problem is solved, we can create an environment where students would be properly groomed, nurtured and developed for the economy," he added.

Teamwork

The Vice-President of Wisconsin International University stated that in today's dynamic and rapidly changing business landscape teamwork was more crucial than ever.

He said the new association would offer a platform for students to interact, connect, innovate, cultivate and nurture soft skills necessary to navigate or cope with the challenges of the global economy.

"Indeed, students' associations provide fertile grounds for promoting leadership development, learning, student engagement, and fostering of shared interests and values.

"I am proud to see our students take the lead in creating the opportunities beyond the confines of the classrooms to achieve these noble objectives. I encourage each of you present here to actively participate, embrace collaboration, and seize these opportunities without hesitation or further delay," he said.

Embracing technology

Speaking on the topic: The future of accounting: Embracing technology and innovation, Ms Dake stated that accounting was built on trust, accuracy, and transparency underscoring the need for integrity.

She said data analytics was important for unlocking deeper financial insights. “Accountants are advisory experts providing insights for business investments” he said.