The Vice Chancellor of the University of Media, Arts, and Communication (UniMAC), Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, has been asked to apologize by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) for remarks he made regarding the Book and Research Allowances (BRA) granted to instructors.
This came after UTAG voiced displeasure with Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo's remarks.
In reference to Book and Research Allowances (BRA), Professor Kwansah-Aidoo stated in a public lecture sponsored by the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies that although academics receive funding, they rarely see any return on their investment.
Professor Kwansah-Aidoo said “The way we fund academic research can be done better, and I think instead of giving money to people at the end of the year, it should be made in such a way that people apply for some kind of money to use it for specific research. And then they must show the outcome of the research through publications and reports so that there’s enough accountability in the money received.”
“For now, we get the money, and I don’t even know what we do with it. We still publish, but in some way, there are people who sit there for 3 years, and they haven’t published anything. They have received Book and Research Allowances for 3 years, so where’s the money gone to?” he asked.
In response, UTAG called the UniMAC Vice Chancellor's remarks "distasteful" and "condescending" in a statement released on February 3, 2024.
“It is disheartening to note that such significant remarks were made with a limited understanding of what the BRA is used for. We find his comments as coming from a place of disdain and a depiction of a long-standing culture of some academics climbing to the top and turning back to remove the very ladder that led them there. His statement that he does not know what academics do with the BRA is condescending, distasteful, and pretentious, to say the least.”
UTAG added “To set the record straight, the BRA has been a crucial component in supporting the academic pursuits and professional development of our members, fostering a culture of research excellence within our university communities. Our research activities do not only end up in scholarly publications as purported by the Vice Chancellor."
“They also end up enhancing the pedagogics in the lecture rooms and a broader contribution to society. This is why the Union has always stated that the BRA has not been sufficient in delivering the core of research and book purchases,” UTAG stated.
Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo declined to respond when contacted regarding the concerns brought forth by UTAG.
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