MSM helps building the tree of life for Accra Technical University in Ghana
From 29 July until 2 August 2019 Ms. Miriam Frijns a program manager and trainer from Maastricht School of Management trained 200 senior staff at Accra Technical University (ATU) in Ghana during their first Summer School.
The theme of the five-day Summer School was ‘Transition and Change’ and the overall aim was on constructively contributing to the development of the University. The Summer School program is to build the future of the institution. During the opening of the Summer School Vice Chancellor Professor Odai, said that the University’s 70 years celebration is an achievement but there’s still far more work ahead to execute. Taking into consideration the world’s technological revolution, he stated that if the University did not embrace change, it would be left behind.
Two years ago, Accra Polytechnic has been converted into Accra Technical University. The transition from Polytechnic to Technical University goes hand in hand with changes not only in the name of the university but mainly in its operations.
During the five-day practical workshop Ms. Miriam Frijns, taught the 200 senior members of ATU on the topic ‘Building the ATU Tree of Life’. The metaphor of the tree of life was literally the central point of the training. During this workshop the participants divided over 20 department table islands worked on indentifying and clarifying the roots of the tree representing the values of ATU. There after the participants had to translate the values into faculty procedures and actions to strengthen the trunk of the tree. At the end of the workshop participants agreed on the fruits of each department that they hoped to harvest when the tree starts growing from the roots (values) identified.
One of the workshop days was about strengthen relationship with stakeholders and improving the ATU service. Stakeholders from the automotive industry, from real estate from Ghana army as well as from Ghana medical regulation board were invited to be in the panel discussion. The panel discussion lead to wonderful opportunities in strengthen the relationship with ATU as well as improving the services of ATU.
The workshop week ended with the announcement of a competition among the departments on being able to transfer the workshop outcomes into departmental actions to perform in the new academic year. The winning department will be announced at the end of the academic year 2019-2020.
At the closing of the Summer School program 2019 VC prof. Samuel Odia thanked everybody who helped making this summer school program to a success and thanked his senior staff for being so participative, energetic and positive about developing the future of ATU together. He said that the tree that had been created during this workshop as a symbol of the future for ATU will get a special place at the campus to always remember this first summer school.
The ATU Summer School will be an annual program aimed at exploring the available resources and utilizing them to effect the needed change as a technical university.
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