CMS celebrates 10 years of academic excellence

The Department of Communication and Media Studies (CMS) under the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Communication of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) Friday launched its 10^th Anniversary celebration at JN Aryeetey Auditorium at the South Campus.

The Department came into existence ten years ago via the visionary ideas of three gallant professors namely Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Yaw Sekyi-Baidoo and K. Ansu-Kyeremeh of UEW.

It trains media practitioners to become responsible, ethical, articulate and innovative media persons to inculcate high level of professionalism in their activities. In 2007, the Department admitted 17 students to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Business Communication, Communication Skills and Media Studies for a start.  

Since its inception, it has trained 163 students to earn Master of Arts or Master of Philosophy degrees in CMS among which include GTV’s Abdul Hayi Moomen, Chief Executive Officer of Nyce Media, Dr. James Kofi Annan and Coordinator of Radio Windy Bay, Jones Appiah Kubi.

Also, a total of 37 different scholars have thought courses, supervised graduate thesis and offered counselling to the students. Again, a total of 103 thesis and dissertations have been produced on varied issues in CMS.

The 10^th Anniversary dubbed “A decade of providing Communication and Media education and training: challenges and prospects” unveiled the anniversary logo designed by a level 200 Mathematics Education student called Patrick Diaba, the anniversary cloth designed by a UEW communication student named Josephine, books of abstract, brochures and anniversary souvenirs.

The designer of the logo, Patrick Diaba said his design was inspired by God therefore, God was an artist. He explained the colours of his design stating that blue signifies power to communicate; red represents sharing, loving and understanding, UEW crest stands for zero and the olive palm signifying victory.

Designer of the cloth, Josephine also said that her design was inspired by the UEW logo. She explained that the Adikra symbol m’atse m’asie instructs communicators to know how to cover people’s secret at all times. 

Director of Quality Assurance, UEW, Professor Yaw Ameyaw in a speech read on behalf of the Acting Vice-chancellor of UEW, Rev. Father Professor Anthony Afful-Broni commended all lecturers of the Department for their affirmative endeavour towards their profession. He entreated them to continue being patient and aspire to develop talent to kindle the interest and assist in moulding the character of their students.

Minister of information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid emphasised that the study of communication was paramount in the acquisition of knowledge; adding, “language distinguishes every society. Therefore, the communicator is responsible for the identification of one’s self.”

He opined that communication was not science where one just speaks to explore knowledge but was of what to hear and the ability to do so was not easy. He petitioned all alumni to count themselves privileged to have chosen the ultimate career in life; adding that, “as media people let us help reshape the duties and identification of a qualified journalist.”

Guest speaker for the anniversary, Mrs. Vicky Wireko-Andoh challenged the Department as well as the university to package crash programmes targeted at leaders in the public and private sector including politicians and corporate leaders to help build their skills and capabilities. “We have had some of them coming on radio or television unprepared and sometimes compromise not just their integrity but that of their organisations as well.” She said.

She added that the Department would not only be making extra income but it would also be contributing to shaping the communication skills of leaders for the country. She pointed out that it was time for Communication and Media education set ups to champion the brand Ghana agenda and depict the country as the best in many spheres such as tourism, education, health and beautification.      

A member of the Pioneer Faculty, Kwesi Aggrey said that the effective functioning of a public institution like the Department of CMS could perhaps be likened to the Biblical nurturing of the Lord’s Vineyard; adding, men and women were called into it at different periods in life and each cohort was given an assigned role to perform, which altogether shaped the vine to blossom.  

The event was emceed by Abdul Hayi Moomen, a broadcast journalist and alumnus of CMS. It also accommodated the presence of some alumni and current students.