Message from the Dean

Welcome to the School of Continuing and Distance Education (SCDE), College of Education, University of Ghana. As a leading centre for teaching, research, professional development and educational innovation, we take pride in fostering a vibrant community of scholars, students, researchers, practitioners and partners committed to advancing knowledge, leadership and national development.

The School of Continuing and Distance Education occupies a unique and distinguished place in the history of the University of Ghana. Our roots date back to 1948 when the Department of Extra-Mural Studies was established to provide educational opportunities for Ghana's growing adult population. Over the years, the School has evolved through several institutional phases, namely the Department of Extra-Mural Studies, the Institute of Public Education, the Institute of Adult Education, and the Institute of Continuing and Distance Education, before attaining its current status as the School of Continuing and Distance Education. This rich heritage reflects our enduring commitment to expanding access to higher education and promoting lifelong learning.

Today, SCDE remains a leading centre for research, teaching and extension services, with a strong focus on Human Resource Development, Development Education, Professional Development, and distance learning. We aspire to be a centre of excellence in research on technology-mediated learning, lifelong education, and educational innovation within Ghana and beyond. Through rigorous scholarship, high-quality teaching and meaningful community engagement, we continue to advance knowledge and practice in ways that contribute significantly to national and global development.

The SCDE comprises three departments that collectively advance our mission of teaching, research and community engagement. The Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Human Resource Development, Development Education and Professional Development, preparing graduates for leadership, professional excellence and societal transformation. The Department of Distance Education expands access to higher education through flexible and technology-enabled learning opportunities for students across the country. Complementing these efforts, the University of Ghana Learning Centres serve as regional hubs for teaching, learning, research and community engagement, extending the University's reach and impact throughout Ghana.

One of our most enduring contributions to national development is the Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC), a flagship programme that has been organised consistently for more than seven decades. The Conference provides a unique platform for citizens, policymakers, academics, practitioners and development partners to deliberate on issues of national importance and generate recommendations that contribute to public policy formulation and implementation.

At SCDE, research remains our passion and the foundation upon which our teaching and extension activities are built. We are committed to generating relevant research, advancing innovations in distance and lifelong learning and providing evidence-based solutions to contemporary educational and developmental challenges. We are also exploring new frontiers in youth development, educational technologies, and digital learning to ensure that our programmes remain responsive to the evolving needs of society and the future of education.

In pursuit of this vision, the School embraces the University's strategic priorities for 2024-2029, which serve as guideposts for our commitment to academic excellence, innovation, stakeholder engagement and sustainable institutional growth.

We welcome you to the SCDE, where tradition inspires innovation, scholarship drives development and education empowers individuals, professionals and communities to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

 

 

Prof. Samuel Amponsah

Email:samponsah@ug.edu.gh