DTI Inaugurates Academic Council, Industry Advisory Committees to Boost TVET Quality
Accra, 16th September, 2026 - The Design and Technology Institute (DTI), Africa’s TVET Centre of Excellence, has inaugurated its Academic Council and Industry Advisory Committees to strengthen academic quality, governance and industry relevance in its programmes.
The inauguration, held at the Institute’s Awale Te Campus, marked the beginning of the 2026/2027 academic year and brought together members of the DTI Board, academic and industry experts, management, staff and students.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Constance Swaniker, Founder and President of DTI, described the event as a commitment to ensuring that education delivered by the Institute met the highest standards and remained aligned with industry needs.
“Today is not a ceremony, it is a commitment. It is a commitment that the education we deliver at DTI will meet the highest standards,” she said.
Ms Swaniker noted that the Institute was founded to bridge the gap between classroom training and industry requirements, stressing that graduates should leave not only with certificates but also with the competence and confidence required in the world of work.
“The gap is not in our young people’s ability, but the gap lies between the classroom and the workshop floor, between what is taught and what industry demands. This is why DTI exists to close that gap,” she said.
She said the newly inaugurated Academic Council, the highest internal academic authority of the Institute, would safeguard the integrity, quality and relevance of teaching and learning through independent oversight and guidance.
“It will scrutinise our programmes, guide our academic policies and hold us accountable to national standards and to the international benchmarks we have chosen to meet,” she stated.
Ms Swaniker urged members of the Council to provide honest feedback and challenge management where necessary.
“We established it to strengthen our decisions. We want you to ask us difficult questions and push us even further. A council that only agrees with us is not a council; it is an audience,” she said.
The Founder also inducted approximately 40 industry professionals into four Industry Advisory Committees covering Multimedia and Design Innovation, Welding and Fabrication, CAD-CAM and Entrepreneurship.
She said the committees would help validate curricula, provide real-world project challenges and participate in the assessment of learners’ work.
“At DTI, industry is not just a guest in our classrooms. We co-architect our programmes with you,” she said.
Mrs Amy Fafa Awoonor, Chairperson of the Education Subcommittee of the DTI Board, who inducted members of the Academic Council, said the Institute’s rapid growth required robust governance structures to sustain quality.
“DTI is growing exponentially and with it, all the systems have to be in place,” she said, describing the Council as a “powerhouse” of experienced professionals whose expertise would help guide the Institute.
Dr Kingsley Arkorful, Executive Director of the Bureau for Community Action and Development and consultant to DTI’s institutional strengthening process, described the inauguration as a significant milestone.
“The Academic Council is key in terms of one of the key governance structures for DTI,” he said, noting that it would serve as the guardian of academic standards, curriculum approval and industry linkages.
Dr Emmanuel Ampomah, School Principal of DTI, said the inauguration of the Academic Council and Industry Advisory Committees represented a major step in the Institute’s quest to strengthen academic governance and deepen industry partnerships.
He noted that the structures would help ensure that teaching, learning and assessment remained relevant to the evolving needs of industry while promoting continuous improvement across all programmes.
Dr Ampomah expressed gratitude to the board, academic experts and industry professionals for committing their time and expertise to support the Institute’s mission of producing highly skilled graduates capable of contributing to Ghana’s industrial development.
Delivering acceptance remarks on behalf of the Academic Council, Dr Saviour Ayertey Nubuor, Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School and a DTI Academic Board Member, pledged the Council’s commitment to excellence and integrity.
“We accept this appointment with deep gratitude and with a firm commitment to serve our institute, our students and the wider community with integrity, vision, excellence and purpose,” he said.
He said the Council would work to ensure that DTI’s curricula remained relevant to the needs of industry and society through collaborative governance and evidence-based decision-making.
The inauguration forms part of DTI’s efforts to establish independent academic oversight and structured industry engagement as it seeks to deliver TVET programmes that are rigorous, relevant and responsive to Ghana’s industrial transformation agenda.
