UMaT Welcomes Over 3,000 Fresh Students at its 19th Matriculation Ceremony

The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) held its 19th Matriculation Ceremony to swear in over 3,000 fresh students as junior members “in statu pupillary” following their fulfilment of admissions requirements into the University. The event which was held virtually, took place on Saturday, 18th February, 2023.

The ceremony saw the Registrar of the University, Mr Matthew Kwame Okrah administering the Matriculation Oath to the over 3000 undergraduate and postgraduate freshmen and women admitted into the University for the 2022/2023 Academic Year.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah welcomed the freshmen and women and congratulated them on their admission into various programmes at the University. He also highlighted the importance of the matriculation ceremony, which confers full membership status on the students and encouraged them to embrace their new status as junior members of the University community.  

Professor Amankwah also spelt out to the fresher their responsibilities and emphasized the need for them to recognize the University to serve “in loco parentis”, noting that students, especially the postgraduate students some of whom may be parents, are still under the regulations of the University.

The Vice Chancellor further highlighted the uniqueness of the University’s products and encouraged the new students to develop hands-on and other superior skills on campus that will prepare them to influence society positively. He also spoke about the University's core values of Knowledge, Truth and Excellence, and urged the new students to uphold these values throughout their stay on campus.

Professor Amankwah also commended mining and allied companies for their financial support to students and programmes at the University. He mentioned companies such as AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, Gold Fields Ghana, Newmont Ghana Gold, as well as the Ghana Chamber of Mines through the Tertiary Education Fund, which has been very generous to the University. He informed the students of their eligibility to apply for financial support from the Chamber.  The Vice Chancellor also used the oppourtunity to extend his appreciation to the Chamber for the newly commissioned Faculty of Mining and Minerals Technology Block which had come to address issues of lecture room space in the University.

Providing statistics for admissions for the 2022/2023 academic year, Professor Amankwah revealed that the University has introduced seven new undergraduate programmes to enhance student diversity. He indicated that 42.7% of the registered fresh students are females, bringing the current percentage of females in the University to 23.4%, a significant improvement on the University's Gender Mainstreaming Policy. He also stated that at the postgraduate level, 116 students were admitted for the January 2023 admission season, bringing the total number to 817, which is 10.4% of the student population. The Vice Chancellor indicated that the total student population currently stands at 7,820.

Making reference to academic work, the Vice-Chancellor mentioned that the University has taken advantage of the new normal, post-covid 19. He said that lectures are now a blend of virtual and face-to-face interactions. He encouraged students to maximize the benefits of this new learning method while also highlighting the need for discipline during virtual lectures.

Professor Amankwah advised the new students to build on extra skills, adding that certificates alone do not guarantee jobs in this modern era. He encouraged them to develop critical thinking, financial education, and other useful skills, while also building problem-solving skills and adding new concepts to existing knowledge. He further assured the new students that the university will create the right environment for them to grow their ideas and pursue their studies. He also urged them to be guided by the university's core values at all times.

The Vice-Chancellor ended his address by wishing the new students a fruitful stay at UMaT and praying that the Almighty God will crown all their efforts with success.

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