Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology KNUST

History of the University

The University of Science andTechnologysucceeded the Kumasi College of Technology which was established by a Government Ordinance on 6th October, 1951. It was however, opened officially on 22nd January, 1952 with 200 Teacher Training students transferred from Achimota, to form the nucleus of the new College.

In October, 1952, the School of Engineering and the Department of Commerce were established and the first students were admitted. From 1952 to 1955, the School of Engineering prepared students for professional qualifications only. In 1955, the School embarked on courses leading to the University of London Bachelor of Engineering External Degree Examinations.

A Pharmacy Department was established in January, 1953, with the transfer of the former School of Pharmacy from Korle-Bu Hospital,Accra, to the College. The Department ran a two-year comprehensive course in Pharmacy leading to the award of the Pharmacy Board Certificate.

A Department of Agriculture was opened in the same year to provide a number of ad hoc courses of varying duration, from a fewtermsto three years, for the Ministry of Agriculture. A Department of General Studies was also instituted to prepare students for the Higher School Certificate Examinations in both Science and Arts subjects and to give instruction in such subjects as were requested by the otherdepartments.

Once established, the College began to grow and in 1957, the School of Architecture, Town Planning and Building was inaugurated and its first students were admitted in January, 1958, for professional courses in Architecture, Town Planning and Building. As the College expanded, it was decided to make the Kumasi College of Technology a purely science and technology institution. In pursuit of this policy, the Teacher Training College, with the exception of the Art School, was transferred in January, 1958, to theWinnebaTraining College, and in 1959 the Commerce Department was transferred to Achimota to form the nucleus of the present School of administration of the University ofGhana,Legon.

Accession to University Status – The birth of KNUST

In December, 1960, the Government ofGhanaappointed a University Commission to advise it on the future development of UniversityEducationin Ghana, in connection with the proposal to transform the University College of Ghana and the Kumasi College of Technology into an independentUniversity of Ghana.

Following the report of the commission which came out early 1961, Government decided to establish two independent Universities in Kumasi and at Legon near Accra.

The Kumasi College of Technology was thus transformed into a full-fledged University and renamedKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technologyby an Act of Parliament on 22nd August, 1961.

The University’s name was changed to University of Science and Technology after the Revolution of 24th February, 1966. The University of Science and Technology was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, 20th November, 1961. However, by another act of Parliament, Act 559 of 1998, the University has been renamed Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.