This, according to her, has become necessary because research findings were critical in formulating policies for national planning, adding that, advanced countries of the World had achieved development through research, scientific and technological innovations.

Mrs Thompson said this during the sixth session of the 51th Congregation of UCC on Wednesday where a total of 1,357 students who pursued various post-graduate programmes at the university graduated.

The graduands were made up of 25, PhD, 70 MPhil, 46 MCom/MBA and 1,087 MSc/MEd, MA , one Master of Nursing as well as 125 Post-Graduate Diploma and Post Graduate Certificate in various disciplines including nursing.

Mrs Thompson underscored the relevance of graduate education for national development and said graduate training produced the needed capacity with requisite knowledge and skills that every country required to make economic strides.

“Every country requires competent and experienced human resource for development and the capacity can best be obtained through quality graduate education,” she stated.

Professor Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, Vice Chancellor of UCC, indicated that graduate education continued to be the focus of UCC as it strived to further expand its scope.

He said UCC School of Graduate Studies (SGS) with current enrolment of 7,381 would continue to roll out flexible, career-oriented programmes through various modes of delivery to make it accessible for those who wished to pursue graduate education.

He noted that postgraduate enrolment was shifting from the regular mode to sandwich and distance and indicated that the College of Distance Education was being restructured for the expected high numbers and competition.

The Vice Chancellor announced that the university had received approval from the Academic Board to mount an Academic Writing Course to assist postgraduate students in research writing and publishing.

Prof Ghartey Ampiah implored the GETFund to ensure the early completion of its SGS building complex to expand the scope of graduate education on campus.

In his valedictory speech, Dr Prosper Narteh who graduated with PhD in Physical Education encouraged his colleagues to be critical thinkers who would analyse problems and offer meaningful solutions for the development of their societies.

He further admonished them to be truthful and honest, broker peace at all times to foster positive changes, wherever that they found themselves.