GIZ WORKSHOP ON HARMONIZING PLANNING EDUCATION IN GHANA

4^th October, 2024

The Ghana Institute of Planning in collaboration with GIZ has organised a four-day workshop in Sunyani for all stakeholders in planning education. These include practitioners in planning fields and universities offering planning programmes.

The core objective of the workshop is to standardize and harmonize all the planning programmes offered by these institutions.

The workshop commenced on Tuesday, 1^st October, 2024. Below are the Universities and institutions that participated in the workshop;

1. University of Ghana
2. University of Cape Coast
3. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
4. University of Energy and Natural Resources
5. SDD- University of Business and Integrated Development Studies.
6. Wisconsin University
7. Koforidua Technical University
8. Office of the Head of Civil Service
9. Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority
10. University of Environment and Sustainable Development
11. University for Development Studies

Key highlights on the activities and deliberations throughout the four-day programme.

1. Presentation of detailed curriculum of all Planning schools present
2. The representatives of the Universities present agreed that, all planning schools in Ghana should establish association of Planning Schools to promote institutional collaboration and networking.
3. The participants also agreed that, all institutions running planning programmes are supposed to have some basic planning courses run in their departments. For example, it was agreed that, workshop or studio is a Mandatory course at all levels.
4. The workshop or studio of all universities should be tailored towards their areas of specialities.
5. The participants further agreed that, the scope of planning education should not be limited to only land but areas such as under-sea planning, Aviation planning, Marine Planning should be considered by planning schools going forward.
6. Finally, internship should be a vital part of the training of Planning students.

The Ghana Institute of Planning highlighted on some fundamental courses all Universities running planning programmes should take into consideration. These include but not limited to;

1. Fundamentals of Planning
2. Evolution of Planning Systems
3. Planning Process, Tools and Techniques
4. Planning Legislations and Systems
5. Development Financing
6. Introduction to Spatial Economics
7. Operational Research
8. Communication skills for Planners
9. Planning Practices and Ethics

All universities were admonished to specialize in their studio works based on their University mandate and area of speciality. Eg. Human Settlement Planning, Urban design, Environmental Sustainability etc.

In conclusion, all Academic institutions running planning programmes should collaboratively work together to push the planning agenda forward in Ghana.