Valley View University, Ghana’s primer private and chartered university has held its 26^th Congregation under the theme, “Empowered to Confront Global Challenges through Innovation, Integrity and Selfless Service. The maiden virtual ceremony witnessed the conferment of various degrees, diplomas and awards on some 2241 undergraduate and graduate students drawn from the University’s 3 campuses.

The weeklong programme started with School-Faculty specific seminars which brought together resource persons and industry gurus from various fields to share their experiences and corporate expectations with the graduates. The programmes were streamed via several online platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and the University’s website as well as on Hope TV Ghana.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Daniel Kwame Bediako, noted that Valley View University provides value-based and balanced education. Its philosophy of education which seeks to develop the individual wholistically is what distinguishes it from other universities, making its graduates competitive, ethical highly sought after. The Vice Chancellor noted that in spite of the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, the University performed above average in delivering quality academic service. He said the ‘unwelcomed visitor’ caused the University to migrate completely to its already existing e-learning platform to deliver teaching and learning for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year via its moodel platforms which were zero-rated by both MTN and Vodafon.

Prof Bediako noted that several new programmes, including PhD in Computer Science were accredited and commenced by the University. He said current enrolment stands at 9123. He also mentioned several infrastructural projects that were ongoing as well as faculty members’ publications and doctoral sponsorships. He said the University signed a memorandum of understanding to exchange students and faculty with the Andrews University and the Eastern Michigan University both of the United States of America and also collaborated with the Kenyatta University of Kenya to conduct research. Prof Bediako charged the graduates to uphold the tenets of VVU and be worthy ambassadors wherever they found themselves.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, Chief Executive of  Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, noted that he had no doubt that the values inculcated in the graduates by VVU were keys for their success in the world of work. He counselled the graduates to be honest, humble, hardworking, and humane and maintain healthy relationships all through their journey to the top. The guest speaker, Ms Ethel Cofie, CEO of Edel Technology Consulting and Founder of Women in Tech Africa, also an alumna of VVU, touched on four point, advising graduates to; 1) think global but asked local, 2) provide value on whatever they lay their hands on 3) not to think of Ghana only as their space and 4) make use of the resources and opportunities around you.

Valley View University was established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1979 at Bekwai Ashanti. It was later moved to Adenta and finally to its current location at Oyibi where it has been providing value-based Christian education for the past 41years. The university received Presidential Charter to be an autonomous degree granting university. Valley View is accredited by the National Accreditation Board, Ghana and the Adventist Accrediting Association, the worldwide regulator of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities globally.

A total of 1942 of the 2241 graduands of the Class of 2020 drawn from 9 countries graduated with various undergraduate degrees and 299 with higher degrees with 52% being males and 48% females. Mr Samuel Mensah, A Bachelor of Theological Studies student emerged as the overall best student with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.83 out of a total of 171 credits.

Report by Pastor Solomon Appiah

Secretary, 2020 Graduation Committee