President Nana Akufo-Addo has granted a Presidential Charter to Ashesi University College which makes it an independent degree-granting institution.

This was contained in a letter signed by the Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, on Wednesday.

The Charter will be formally presented at Ashesi’s 2018 Graduation Ceremony.

The University was started in 2002 with a pioneer class of 30 students and Bachelor Degree programmes in Business and Computer Science.

Currently, the institution has nearly 2000 students and alumni, with additional Bachelor Degree offerings in Management Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

It is now recognised as one of the finest institutions of higher education in Africa, with a curriculum grounded in a multidisciplinary core, that teaches critical thinking, design thinking, entrepreneurship, ethics and leadership.

Explaining the reason behind granting the Presidential Charter, Prof. Yankah said the decision was taken after a rigorous review of the university’s teaching and learning infrastructure, curriculum, finances, staff qualifications and governance, by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).

The NAB report endorsed Ashesi’s readiness for independence from the University of Cape Coast, with which it had been affiliated. 

Ashesi submitted its application for Presidential Charter in January 2016, following the establishment of its engineering programme.

The Presidential Charter is recognition of the University’s quality, strength, and impact on higher education in Ghana and beyond.  

Ashesi is the youngest private university in Ghana’s history to receive the Charter.

The Ashesi Charter adds to three, the number of private university colleges which have been given a Presidential Charter to award their own degrees. 

Valley View University received its Charter in 2006 while the Central University also became a fully fledged university in 2016.