Central University College

History

In 1988, the Central Bible College was born. In 1993, it became the Christian University College and became the Central University College (CUC) in the year 1998 after a change of name.

Central University College (CUC) is a privately owned university college in Ghana. Owned by the International Central Gospel Church, its founder and chancellor, Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil has within the last two decades, emerged as a leading voice in African Christianity advocating for a proper synthesis of Christian religious expression and the translation of spirituality into practical everyday action. The Idea of CUC was birthed in 1988.

CUC started as a short-term pastoral training institute mainly for pastors of ICGC. It became a Christian University College in 1993 expanding its programs over the years to include the academic study of Christian Theology, business administration, economics, computer science and a select number of modern languages including French. Most of its current programs are offered up to the graduate level and has seen the establishment of the schools of architecture and pharmacy in the 2008/2009 academic year. In 1998, the university college was accredited by the (NAB). A Ghanaian newspaper feature on CUC that appeared in The Spectator of Saturday 16 October 2007 described CUC as "a University college in a class of its own". In January 2016, the University College received the long-awaited Presidential Charter to become an autonomous and a fully-fledged university as Central University.

CUC's continued development included the construction of a permanent campus in Miotso, near Dawhenya. On 26 October 2007 CUC relocated a greater part of its campus from the heart of Accra, the capital to Miotso a community near Dawhenya in the Greater Accra Region.

The university's first registrar, Johnson Kanda, was the first employee of the university, who drafted and put together almost all the documentation needed for the university; he served a period of 10 years between 1998 and 2008.

The university's chancellor Rev. Mensa Otabil is the Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) The university's past President V. P. Y. Gadzekpo, was the president from 2004 until 2012. He took over from Rev. Kingsley Larbi who was the principal of Central Christian College, Ghana. His distinguished pioneering efforts at the then Central Christian College led to the establishment of Central University College, Ghana, where he served as its first president or vice-chancellor from November 1998 until July 2003. The university was next headed by Kwesi Yankah. He took over from V. P. Y. Gadzekpo on 1 September 2012. He handed over to the current vice chancellor, Bill Buenar Puplampu.

Milestones

1984 – The International Central Gospel Church [ICGC] is founded by Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil

1988 – The ICGC opens a ministerial institute to train a new generation of leaders

1991 – Central Bible College is birthed from the success of the ICGC ministerial institute

1993 – Central Bible College is incorporated as the Central Christian College

1997

Investiture of Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil as chancellor

Central Business School is commissioned

1998

Central Bible College is re-christened Central University College to reflect its new status as a liberal arts tertiary institution

Johnson Kanda is inducted as the first registrar

Rev. Kingsley Larbi is appointed as the first principal

2002 The Business Development Centre opens for business

2003 Development Directorate is carved from the pre-existing Project Office

2004 V. P. Y. Gadzekpo takes office as the second president

2006 Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences is established

2007 Quality Assurance Unit is launched

Vision & Legacy Unit is established

Organisation

The university has nine schools and two faculties

Faculty of Law

This is the newest school established at the Miotso campus.

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B)

School of Theology and Missions

The oldest of the schools, it was started in 1988 as a pastoral training institute thus predating the university.

Department of Biblical and Theological Studies

Department of Historical Theology

Department of Practical Theology

Central Business School

This school was established in 1997.

Department of Accounting

Department of Finance

Department of Agribusiness Management

Department of Management and Public Administration

Department of Human Resource Management

Department of Marketing

School of Applied Sciences

This is located on the Miosto campus.

Department of Architecture

Department of Civil Engineering

Department of Natural Sciences

Department of Nursing Studies and Practice

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Department of Physician Assistantship Studies

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

This is the third school created. It is located on the Dawhenya campus. It was established in October 2006)

Department of Communication Studies

Department of Environment and Development Studies

Department of English Language

Department of Economics

Department of French

Department of Psychology

Department of Sociology

Department of social Works

School of Graduate Studies and Research===

Master of Business Administration programme with a duration of 18 calendar months. Designed to provide an intensive quality post-graduate education in business and management within a supportive collaborative environment. An intensive foreign language training programme (French and Chinese) as well as a Personal Professional Development Programme of study is

Campuses

The university occupies the following campus locations

Miotso (permanent campus)

This consists of expanding number of structures on the 248-acre (1.00 km2) plot of land. It houses the new 'face' of CU. Miotso is 58.2 km away from Accra Central. This permanent campus accommodates the Central Business School, the School of Applied Sciences, the Faculty of Law and The faculty of art and social science. Also the administration section of the University College is also located there.

Mataheko Campus

The Mataheko campus is located in the heart of Accra near Kaneshie. The university has four campuses located within the Mataheko area for lecture halls and administrative offices. These campuses serve also the Central Business School and Administration and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Christ Temple Graduate School Campus

This campus houses the Graduate School of Business which runs the Master of Business Administration programme with duration of eighteen calendar months. Designed to provide an intensive quality post-graduate education in business and management within a supportive collaborative environment.

Kumasi Campus

The Kumasi campus is located at Calvary Charismatic Church (CCC) close to the KNUST and Ayigya Police Station.

Affiliations

University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, USA

Association of African Universities

University of Ghana

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Memberships

Central University College is a member of the Association of African Universities (AAU))

Students' union

Central University College's Student Representative Council operates mainly from the Miotso campus. The various class representatives serve as contacts on the various campuses.

People

List of chancellors

Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil (1997–Present)

List of presidents

Rev. Kingsley Larbi – 1998 to 2003

P. Y. Gadzekpo FGA 2004 to 2012

Kwesi Yankah – 2012 to 2017

Bill Buenar Puplampu – 2017 to date

List of registrars

Johnson Kanda (1998–2008)

J. F. Odartey Blankson (2009–2011)

Emil Afenyo (2016 – to date)

List of vice-presidents

K. Oduro Afriyie – Academic (2006–2012)

J. F. Odartey Blankson – Finance and Administration (2011 – 2016)

List of notable alumni

Adina, musician

Nathan Kwabena Adisi, broadcaster

Elvis Agyemang, Pastor @ Grace Mountain Ministries - Alpha Hour

Yvonne Nelson, actress