The search for a new Vice-Chancellor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has intensified as the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs) Rita Akosua Dickson, approaches its end in July 2026.
Professor Dickson, the first female Vice-Chancellor of the university, assumed office on August 1, 2020 and was later granted a two-year extension from August 2024 to July 31, 2026 after a positive assessment of her first term by the University Council.
Application Process Underway
In anticipation of the transition, the governing council of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has initiated the formal process to identify her successor.
The university has opened applications for the Vice-Chancellor position, inviting qualified academics and administrators to apply for the role. Interested candidates are required to submit their academic credentials, leadership experience, and vision statements outlining their strategic plans for the university.
According to reports, applications opened in February 2026, with prospective candidates expected to submit their documents by the end of March 2026 for review by a search committee constituted by the University Council.
Selection Process
After the submission deadline, applications will be screened by the search committee, which will shortlist qualified candidates. The shortlisted applicants are expected to go through further assessment, including interviews and presentations on their vision for the future of the university.
The committee will subsequently recommend suitable candidates to the University Council, which has the final authority to appoint the next Vice-Chancellor.
Leadership Legacy
Professor Rita Akosua Dickson made history in 2020 when she became the first woman to lead KNUST. A renowned phytochemist and academic, she previously served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university before her appointment.
During her tenure, she has overseen several initiatives aimed at strengthening academic excellence, research innovation, and student support, including programs to improve digital access for students and enhance the university’s global partnerships.
As the selection process gathers momentum, attention within Ghana’s higher education sector remains focused on who will emerge as the next leader to steer the affairs Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology into its next phase of growth and development.
By Joseph Yugtii.