Italy’s Ambassador to Ghana and Togo, H.E Daniela d’ Orlandi, has met the Management of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, as part of her working visit to Italian project sites in Ghana.
The UESD is a beneficiary of Italy’s projects. Contracta Construzioni ITALIA S.R., an Italian company, put up the structures at the UESD campus for the first phase and it is currently working on phase II of the project.
Ambassador d’ Orlandi’s was at UESD to inspect the progress of work on the second phase of the project, which comprises two academic buildings consisting of; a two-Storey Laboratory Block & Four-Storey Lecture Theatre Block, a sports and recreational facility made up of; a football Pitch, handball/basketball, badminton, tennis court & tartan track and gatehouses for the main entrance and secondary entrance of the university.
The Ambassador and her team were received by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson in the Council Chamber and some members of Management of the University including the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof Edward Wiafe Debrah and the Registrar, Mrs. Mary Abena Agyepong and some Senior Members.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson expressed excitement about the Ambassador’s visit and briefed her about the activities of the University, starting with the significance of the motto of the University: Securing the Environment. He said, the UESD is two (2) years old and has admitted about three hundred (300) students. It is currently operating two Schools; the School of Sustainable Development (SSD) & School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) with twenty (20) approved Bachelor of Science programmes on offer. Prof. Nyarko-Sampson reiterated that the University’s third school, the School of Built Environment will soon run BSc. Urban Design, BSc. Sustainable Architecture and BSc. Construction Management.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson said, he was hopeful the second phase of the project will meet its deadline, as it will immensely help UESD in pushing its academic and extra curriculum activities to higher heights.
The Vice-chancellor briefed the meeting on the collaborations the UESD has had with both local and international organisations and the Agreements it has signed with some institutions in the UK, USA, Holland, and Canada.
In response, Her Excellency, Daniela d’ Orlandi stated that Italy hosts a large Ghanaian community of almost one hundred thousand (100,000) people including students in Italian universities. She said, every year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in her country offers scholarships to students in Africa and in the past three years it has issued about three hundred (300) student visas.
She promised to initiate an exchange programme for students of the UESD to some Italian Universities for exchange programmes that will motivate students and hoped UESD will get some students who will benefit from the scholarships offered by the Italian Government.
She was optimistic the Management of UESD will take advantage of the opportunities that will come out of the meeting to pave the way for further engagement between both countries and enrich & strengthen the bilateral relations in the field of education.
On the construction works on campus, Ambassador d’ Orlandi said, she was satisfied with the quality of work taking place there. She expressed appreciation to the Management of the construction firm for facilitating the visit and to UESD for the warm hospitality.
Other members at the meeting were; the Director of Finance, Mr. Baffour Awuah Kwabi, the Director for Audit, Dr. Emmanuel Opoku Ware, Director of Physical Development and Estate Management, Surveyor, Dr. Isaac Abbam and the Dean of Students, Dr. (Mrs.) Daniella Delali Sedegah.
The rest were: the Project Director (UESD Phase II), Mr. Victor Moutinho, Corporate Finance and Compliance Director, Mr. Renato Gerundio de Azevedo and the Institutional Relations Manager, Mrs. Edinam Adjei-Sika all of Contracta Construzioni ITALIA S.R.L.