Through cultivating moral, enterprising leaders, Ashesi University seeks to advance an African Renaissance. With a track record of cultivating ethical leadership, critical thinking, an entrepreneurial attitude, and the capacity to solve difficult challenges, the university is today acknowledged as one of the best in Africa.
History of Ashesi University
Ashesi University (/ɑːʃˈs/ a-shii-si’) is a private, non-profit university located in Accra, Ghana. The University seeks to develop in its students the critical thinking abilities, empathy, and courage necessary to reshape the continent. Its goal is to produce ethical, business-minded leaders in Africa.
Ashesi University now has full independence as a nationally recognized institution of higher learning after the president of Ghana granted it a charter in 2018. It was the newest institution in Ghana’s history to receive a presidential charter. It belongs to the Council of Independent Universities as well as the Association of African and Commonwealth Universities.
In 1998, a group of four MBA students from the Haas School of Management at the University of California, Berkeley went to Ghana to assess if a new university might be founded there. The team conducted interviews and focus groups with parents, teachers, and business leaders; distributed over 3,300 questionnaires to students and parents; and collected secondary data from national and international sources. According to the study’s findings, Ghana has a sizable need for a new private university, parents there are willing to pay for top-notch local university education, and the government of Ghana supports private involvement in higher education.
In 1999, the Ashesi University Foundation was established. Its name is Akan for “beginning”. Under the guidance of the University of Cape Coast, the university received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board of Ghana in 2001, and classes started there in 2002.
In 2006, students in Ashesi elected the first female president of a university student government in Ghana’s history, and in 2008, they passed the country’s first examination honor code. In 2011, Ashesi University finished building a new campus in Berekuso. Ashesi’s engineering curriculum was introduced in 2015, and Patrick Awuah, the organization’s creator, was named a MacArthur fellow. It was granted a charter by Ghana’s president in 2018 that enables it to award degrees under its name rather than the name of the University of Cape Coast.
The 100-acre Berekuso campus of Ashesi University has a view of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The Natembea health center, two athletic courts, and a sports complex with a football field, track, and gym are all located there. The Ghana Climate Innovation Center is also housed there.
The architecture incorporates aspects of traditional Northern homes as well as compound house echoes from Ghanaian folk architecture. Besides providing ramps for wheelchair access to buildings, the site’s natural contours are utilized in conjunction with the structures to designate outdoor meeting areas across the campus.
However, structures are constructed to maximize views, light, and ventilation from the outside. To supply drinkable water year-round, groundwater is augmented with captured rainfall that has been filtered and disinfected. The production of biogas from waste for some of the campus’s cooking needs and the reuse of treated water for landscaping are two advantages that a community-scale sewage and organic treatment plant offers in terms of the environment and the economy. Solar energy provides the university with 40% of its daytime electrical demands.
The departments of Business Administration, Computer Science and Information Systems, Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences each include around 75 administrative staff members and 78 teaching staff members. The Ashesi University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered in the United States that generates money to support the university’s goals. While the university is governed by its board of directors, the foundation is controlled by its board of trustees.
With majors available in business administration, management information systems, computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering, Ashesi University provides a four-year bachelor’s program. It coordinates the Next Generation Cocoa Youth Program’s curriculum creation and organizes the two-week Ashesi Innovation Experience program, which introduces students between the ages of 15 and 19 to the fundamentals of leadership, entrepreneurship, robotics, creativity, and engineering.
The institution was the first university to appear on PwC’s ranking of Ghana’s seven most reputable organizations in 2012. Patrick Awuah, the president of Ashesi, was named Ghana’s fourth-most respected CEO. It was once again the sole university on the list when it was named one of Ghana’s 50 Best Places to Work in 2015 by the Ghanaian consulting firm Goodman AMC. The president of Ashesi was named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune in that same year.
One of the biggest awards in education in the world, the Global Innovation Summit in Education Award, was given to Ashesi in 2017 for its influence on higher education in Africa. According to the Global Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings for 2020, Ashesi University was placed first in Ghana, ninth in Africa, and among the top 400 universities worldwide.
Faculty and Departments at Ashesi University
Faculty of Business, Arts & Social Sciences
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Business Administration
Faculty of Engineering & Computer Science
- Engineering
- Computer Science & Information Systems
FAQS about Ashesi University
How many Students Does Ashesi University admit per year?
Answer: The university admitted 1418 students (40 postgraduate students) as of January 2023.
Is Ashesi University a Federal or State School?
Answer: It is a private, non-profit university.
What is the cut-off mark for Ashesi University?
Answer: The University presently uses the standard cut-off point of SSSCE aggregate of 36 or better; WASSCE aggregate of 24 or better; the ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels as well as the GBCE/ABCE qualifications to admit the eligible applicants.
What is Ashesi University Official Website?
Answer: www.ashesi.edu.gh
Is Ashesi University a good school?
Answer: Yes. The university ranked 6th in Ghana and 4477th in the World 2023 overall rankings.
Are there hostels at Ashesi University?
Answer: Yes Ashesi offers accommodation alternatives as part of its efforts to improve student’s educational experiences.
When is the Admission Form coming out for Ashesi University?
Answer: The AU form for 2023/2024 is now available online through www.ashesi.edu.gh and registration of the form will begin by May 2023. The closing date for the registration of Ashesi University admission 2023 has been scheduled between June 30th to July 31st, 2023.
Is Ashesi University Under ASUU?
Answer: No!
Who founded Ashesi University?
Answer: The university was established by Patrick Awuah.
What are the requirements for Ashesi University?
Answer: Candidates applying for admission to Ashesi University should be aware that the university’s basic entry requirements include at least having credits in English, Core Mathematics, Integrated Science (for programs related to science), or Social Studies (for programs not related to science), as well as three pertinent elective subjects (A1-C6 in WASSCE and A-D in SSSCE).