AUCC To Launch Maiden Annual Communications Week

The Kojo Yankah School of Communication Studies (KYSCS) at the African University College of Communications (AUCC) will on Monday, April 24, 2017 launch what is believed to be the first Annual Communications Week.

Under the theme “Communicate! Illuminate the world around you”, the week-long celebrations seek to project the role communications play in national development. As part of the awareness creation campaign, the Vice President, Academic and Dean, Prof. Abeku Blankson together with the organizing Committee, largely made up of Class Representatives paid a courtesy call on a number of radio and television stations in Accra including Rainbow Radio, 3Fm, TV3, First Digital TV and ATV.

On Saturday, April 22, 2017, students joined patrons of the award winning entertainment programme “Music Music” on TV3. They were thrilled to sterling performances from artiste like Nhyiraba Kojo, Donzy and the sensational duo Famous. The programme which was anchored by a level 300 student of the school popularly known as “Root I” saw an alumnus of the school Dj Andy Dosty behind the turntable dishing out mixes and remixes of popular hiplife songs. Speaking at the sideline of the programme, the Communications Officer of AUCC Benjamin Osei Boateng expressed appreciation to TV3 for the partnership adding that it will go a long way to project the corporate image of the school. He added that other corporate bodies must emulate the gesture in order to bridge the gap between industry and academia.

The week-long celebrations which starts with an official launch on Monday April 24 will end with a thanksgiving service at Evangel Assemblies of God Church, Adabraka on Sunday, April 30, 2017. The Managing Director, Graphic Communications Group Ltd., Mr. Ken Ashigbey is expected to speak at the launch on the topic “the role of the media in Ghana’s current development agenda’. In attendance also will be the founder of AUCC and a former Minister of State, Hon. Kojo Yankah and the President of AUCC, Dr. G. Koryoe Anim-Wright.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 has been declared “Alumni Reconnect & Networking Day”. This is to open a door of opportunity to the entire student body to interact with the alumni on issues relating to industry. It is also to create a platform for alumni who are doing well in various communication areas such as media, journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising to mentor students on career choices, resume writing and critique.

In the evening, students and the general public will settle down for a show of a lifetime dubbed ‘Cultural & Talent Night’. The night will see a display of diverse cultural performances from different African countries powered by the International Students Association (ISA), Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), and Representatives from other private universities and talented AUCC students who are into performing arts. In an interview with the President of ISA (AUCC), Esther Obu, she said she was confident that it will be a night full of thrilling performances by students from Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Togo.

On Wednesday April 26, 2017, students will embark on an ‘Educational Tour’ to the National Communications Authority. This it to offer students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the the state-of-the-art facility for monitoring and evaluating the media/communications landscape in Ghana. The day however will end with a public lecture on ‘Women in Leadership: Challenges and Opportunities’ at the Conference hall of AUCC.

There will be exhibition at the forecourt of Discovery House, AUCC campus at Adabraka on Thursday April 26, 2017. Captioned ‘Industry Fair’, different companies and industry players are expected to showcase their products and services in order to attract potential students and the general public. These include banks, retail shops and beverage companies. There will also be free health screening and blood donation for staff and students and the Adabraka community.

The maiden edition of the ‘Public Presentation of Students’ Research and Creative Activities’ is scheduled for Friday April 28, 2017 at AUCC forecourt. For the first time in Ghana, students’ research will be made public to the corporate world. Instead of students' presenting their research projects to a small number of faculty, they will do a public presentation where representatives from industry, staff and students will have the opportunity to visit over 50 groups in their booths, interact and ask questions about their projects and its implementation. Though opened to the general public, the idea is to facilitate the adoption of these research findings by industry players in order to bridge the gap between industry and academia. The former Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Dzifa Gomashie will give the keynote address on the topic ‘The need to bridge the Education-Industry gap in Ghana’. There will also be short remarks by the Vice President & Dean, Prof. Abeku Blankson and Dean of Graduate School (AUCC), Dr. Herbert Blankson.

In an effort to give back to society, there will be Community Service/Clean-Up Exercise at the Adabraka Market on Saturday April 29, 2017. The Special Guest of Honour will be the Member of Parliament for the Korle Klottey Constituency, Hon. Dr. Zenator Rawlings. The day will end with a ‘Get Together Night’ with alumni at the Discovery House, Adabraka.

Prof. Abeku Blankson expressed appreciation to the Organising Committee for their commitment and selflessness. He also called on industry to come on board as sponsors of some of these events.