The Centre for Academic Research and Engaged Scholarship (CARES), Valley View University (VVU) presents the first Inter-Faculty colloquium on the theme “Promoting Academic Excellence and Integrity”.
The event is being held at the Women’s Multipurpose center, Valley View University, and hosts dignitaries— Hon. Professor Kwesi Yankah (Minister of State-Tertiary Education) as the Special Guest of Honor, Prof. Daniel Bediako (Vice-Chancellor, Valley View University) who chairs the programme, Prof. Daniel Berchie (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Valley View University), Prof. Jonathan Fletcher (Dean, School of Education and Leadership, University of Ghana), the Keynote Speaker and Prof. William Koomson (Principal, SDA College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua) the Special Guest— playing essential roles for the success of the program.
Message from Professor Jonathan Fletcher.
In the opening remarks, Prof. Fletcher indicated that academic excellence has been linked, in many studies, to one’s commitment to research systems, using a range of theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary approaches that enhance theory and practice in one’s learning. Those who achieve academic excellence develop their skills and competences in all the areas of relevance in their respective disciplines; they develop their knowledge and understanding of relevant theory and use it to improve their practice, and reflect critically on all aspects of their academic work.
Indeed, the commitment to develop one's knowledge and understanding the processes of the creation of knowledge and its implementation in appropriate contexts requires the acquisition of core competences. In the Ghanaian context in the 21st Century, these include creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, innovation, and leadership skills that seek to produce responsible citizens who are always guided by integrity. For people in academia, these efforts lead to academic integrity!
In the culture of academic integrity, faculty members commit themselves to achieve excellence without compromising honesty, a spirit of trust, open-mindedness, mutual respect, and reciprocity in the pursuant of their academic and social goals.
Cheating turns academics into people who merely follow the thoughts and concepts already created by others irrespective of the suitability of these thoughts and ideas.
The role of the researcher in a culture of academic integrity is to ensure that in pursuing new knowledge, the values that generate intellectual excellence - ethics, equity, inclusion, honesty, etc. are upheld irrespective of the challenges they pose.
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