Reverend Professor Samuel K. Adjepong, Principal of Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG) at the weekend appealed to the government to set up a research fund that would be access on competitive basis by the country's tertiary institutions.
He said research is vital to ensure the quality of academic work and a private university like MUCG, which is grappling with serious financial problems, would welcome such assistance.
Prof Adjepong made this known in an interaction with journalists at a celebration of Negro spirituals and gospel music organised by the university as part of its 10th anniversary on the theme: "10 years of Methodist Education."
The musical concert was organised in collaboration with the Cultural Centre of the US Embassy, which was attended by 20 choirs from Ghana and a quartet from the United States.
The principal said the school need funds to build more lecture halls as well as staff development.
Prof Adjepong noted that the university has course to celebrate, because from a humble beginning with under 700 students, the population has grown to 5,000 with 52 per cent of them being females. It has an academic staff of 110.
MUCG, which started with one faculty- Business Administration, now run three additional courses in Social Studies, Arts and General Studies, on its main campus in Accra and a Faculty of Agriculture at Wenchi.
The principal said the school envisaged a multi campus university, with other satellite campuses in Tema and Kumasi where Music would be the maiden course.
The school runs Masters in Business Administration and Masters of Arts in Marketing with the anticipation to start Doctorate Degree, Bachelor of Arts in Nursing and pure science courses.
Prof Adjepong said MUCG is engaged in agro-processing, comprising packaging of moringa and the production of fruit juices
He said MUCG is building a unique academic culture grounded on research, stressing that "standards are high".
As part of the anniversary students of the school donated about 150 pints of blood to the Korle Bu National Blood Bank and undertook a clean up exercise in Accra as well as fan games.
Other activities to be covered include a special congregation to be attended by President John Atta Mills, a lecture on "Education development and nation building and what the Methodist Church has contributed" and the matriculation of 2,000 students, which is the largest group of matriculants the school has ever registered.