The Department of Human Resource Management has organised a stakeholder consultative meeting to gather inputs for the introduction of a one-year Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MSc HRM) programme.

The consultative meeting, held at the Academic Board Chamber, allowed members present at the meeting to deliberate and share their thoughts and experiences in order to make the new programme meet the needs of industry.

Department’s Expectation from Stakeholders

The Head of Department of Human Resource Management, Dr. (Mrs.) Rebecca Dei Mensah explained that, the meeting was to solicit the views of practitioners on their needs so that it could be factored into the programme. She noted that,  “as practitioners, you know the skills and competencies that graduates of the MSc programme should possess, your invaluable contribution will help us to put the programme in good shape as well as meeting the requirement of National Accreditation Board”.

The Programme

The proposed Master of Science in Human Resource Management programme is intended to prepare graduates with analytical and conceptual skills necessary to interpret nature, forms and key issues facing the private and public organisations in their attempt to develop and implement Human Resource strategies and achieve organisatonal goals.

The programme, which will be delivered through regular, sandwich, and distance modes, is open to first degree holders or equivalent from any accredited tertiary institution. Applicants with Institute of Human Resource Management Practitioners (IHRMP), Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) professional qualifications would be considered. Other qualifications would also be considered on case by case basis.

Stakeholders Inputs

Some stakeholders from industry called for the inclusion of compulsory internships, which would be graded as a basic requirement for prospective applicants to fulfill before the completion of the MSc HR programme. That they said, could equip students to have the necessary practical aspects of the programme taught in class and aid them in their final Research Report which will be expected at the end of their one-year programme.

Others called on the School of Business to blend academic work with industrial work, thus, allowing practitioners to come over to share their experiences with students. This they said can be done by giving a little incentive to visiting lecturers as a source of motivation.

The School’s Appeal

The Dean of School of Business, Prof. Edward Marfo Yiadom, called for a strengthened collaboration between the School industry partners for the successful introduction of the course. He reiterated that “it is my hope that this gathering, though the first, is the beginning of our continuous engagement (between industry and academia.”

Participants

The stakeholders from outside the university present at the meeting were the Vice President and Head of HR West Africa, Mr. Francis Eduku, Acting Chief of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Dr. Edward Kwapong, Vice Chairman of IHRMP’s (Takoradi Chapter), Mr. Benjamin Quansah, HRD Director of Local Government Services, Mr. Oppong Mensah, Deputy Director Recruitment, Training and Development of Ghana Civil Service, Ms. Liza Camara, a representative of the Trades Union Congress, Dr. Kennedy Attong Achakoma, and Human Resource Manager of Newmonts Gold Limited, Mr. Thomas Thompson