Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies has graduated 4 PhDs, 3 MPhils and 6 BSc at its fourth graduation ceremony. The ceremony attracted personalities across board to witness the graduation ceremony. Speaking at the event, MITDS Council member who represented the council Chairman, Rev. Professor Saa Dittoh said, the institution’s major challenges are how to construct a dedicated Library Complex for our students and how to house our Administration in a permanent structure. In the light of all these, the Council joins MITDS in a passionate appeal to the Government of Ghana (The GETFund) and donors or philanthropists, to assist achieve this goal. According to the Council Chairman, all the infrastructure seen within the school premises was funded from internal sources since its inception in 2014 till date. Stressing that, the institution never had a single financial backing from the Government of Ghana. Prof. Dittoh and members of the council also commended MITDS for the research executed leading to the production of grass charcoal and grass brown paper which he thinks will solve pertinent special problems of Ghana, and perhaps Africa. However, he was confident that the 13 grandaunts of MITDS will continue to make the institution proud wherever they find themselves. Also serving as a representative on behalf of the UDS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gabriel A. Teye at the fourth graduation ceremony organized by the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies, Prof. Shamsu-Deen Ziblim Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance of UDS said, he is already amazed at the quality of teaching, Research, and Community service currently going on in MITDS and he strongly supports the call for Government to be visible in their endeavors. Adding that, “In northern Ghana, tertiary facilities like MITDS that is also building a postgraduate curriculum vitae are rare and will thus be a healthy partner”. We are ever ready to carry the message of the novelty, this institution is bringing on board. It is farfetched for a mother to learn from her child and we are proud of our child. Meanwhile, offering his advice to the graduating students, Prof. Shamsu-Deen Ziblim said: “Now you are an ambassador of the institute, my caution and advice to you, the word ‘ambassador’, let us feel it outside, let us see those who are yet to attend interviews, let us see a kind of interdisciplinary approach in your response to questions. Those who are already working, let us see it and I know you can do that. If you people are not able to do it, you will not be here for the conferment of those degrees, you deserved it and that is why we are giving it to you”. “More students are yet to come, they will only be here if you market the institution, try and form an alumina association which is very vibrant and everywhere in Ghana, everywhere in sub-Saharan African this institute name will be heard”. He advised However, concluding his speech, Prof. Shamsu-Deen Ziblim made an interesting suggestion to the President of the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies Prof. David Millar for consideration. According to the Director of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance of UDS, there is a need for the ‘INNOVATION’ to be added to the institution name such as Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary Innovation and Development Studies. When I came here for the graduation this morning, the question I asked myself is, what is the name of the institution? Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary Innovation and Development Studies and I say wow, is it not better we add ‘innovation’? Because of the novelty, we have here. The innovation will be important. He said: “even the first technical University Kwame Nkrumah University Science and Technology, we are yet to hear and touch the indigenous development using local resources to develop things that will help in environmental management and in less than two decades MITDS is able to produce grass charcoal and grass brown paper”. Giving a valedictory speech on behalf of his colleague grandaunts, Dr. Martin Akogti, appeal to his colleague’s grandaunts to be good brand champions of MITDS and UDS in their general outlook on life affair. “Let us ponder on what we will contribute to make our families, societies, communities, Ghana and the world a better place to live” he appealed Addressing the grandaunts and congregation at the fourth graduation ceremony, the President of the Millar Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies Prof. David Millar extended his appreciation to Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) for granting accreditation and re-Accreditation, also UDS for granting the affiliation and re-affiliation status. Speaking about academic affairs, Prof. Millar said, as a result of the need to be strategic in positioning themselves, they are sad to announce that they have officially now closed down Undergraduate programmes. This he said, is an interim measure. We have far developed new Masters and PhD programmes. Prof. Millar said. “If resources permits, they may be rolling out a couple of them in due course. Adding that, they have intensified their effort at Research and they are exploring various forms of scholarship for students to do research”. However, Prof. Millar announced some newly designed programmes ready to mount Post–Graduate Certificate Courses. According to him, these courses arose from persistent demands made of all catchment areas. “We have come out with six months Post-Graduate Certificate Courses in POLICY AND STRATEGY STUDIES, INFORMATION AND INFORMATICS, UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND AGRI BUSINESS STUDIES. He announced Adding that, a remarkable addition to their research upgrading effort is their recently designed Post-Doctoral and Post-Master Research Programme. Programmes he believes will upgrade the research skills, techniques, and knowledge of young academics who will want to conduct cutting-edge research of international quality. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/ Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093