The University of Media, Arts and Communication held the 1st Session of its 4th Congregation on Friday, 28th November 2025, marking a turning point in its evolution as Ghana’s premier institution for media, communication, language and creative arts education. The event drew hundreds of families, industry leaders, diplomats and government officials who converged to witness the graduation of 897 students. The ceremony, coloured by cultural performances, called for a national renewal and reflections on the mission of UniMAC, placing the institution at the centre of Ghana’s conversation about the creative economy and 21st-century communication skills.
The Council Chair of UniMAC, Professor Wilberforce Sefakor Dzisah, set the tone in an address that blended pride, nostalgia and a sense of national duty. He described the day as, “not only a celebration of academic accomplishment but also a symbolic moment in our collective journey towards building a world-class institution dedicated to shaping thought leaders, innovators and visionaries in media, the arts and communication.” He reminded graduates that their academic journey coincides with a decisive period in Ghana’s development, emphasising that communication and the creative arts have become national currencies of influence. “In a world where communication drives influence, where the creative economy has become a force for transformation, and where the arts are redefining how societies express their values, the role of UniMAC is more critical than ever,” he said.
He announced that the university was graduating 897 students this year, describing it as evidence of “consistency in progress” and a sign that UniMAC was laying the groundwork for accelerated institutional growth. He commended the strides made in curriculum alignment under the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), including the deployment of a Learning Management System(LMS) which now supports the university’s blended teaching model. The Council Chair also revealed that the University Council had toured all campuses to begin discussions on infrastructure expansion and future partnerships. He also encouraged graduates, most of whom fall within the Gen Z demographic, to move beyond entertainment-driven social media use. He urged them to employ their digital skills in nation-building and persuasion that advances a 24-hour economy. “Move beyond the pop culture of using TikTok and other social media for just entertainment but to drive engagements that reshape thinking and actions for sustainability,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor of UniMAC, Professor Eric Opoku Mensah, presented what he called the “state of the university” and delivered one of the most comprehensive accounts of UniMAC’s achievements and challenges to date. He stated that UniMAC graduated a total of 897 students comprising 803 from the Institute of Journalism, 53 from the Institute of Languages and 41 from the Institute of Film and Television. Their gender distribution, he noted, was 676 females representing 75.5 percent and 221 males representing 24.5 percent. The Vice-Chancellor highlighted improvements in the quality of graduates, including 109 First Class honours and 486 Second Class Upper degrees.
Professor Opoku Mensah detailed the university’s major achievements over the year including the signing of landmark MoUs with the International Labour Organisation and the Confucius Institute. He explained that the ILO collaboration “has been a game changer” because it has integrated the ILO Global Media Toolkit for reporting on forced labour and fair recruitment into UniMAC’s journalism curriculum and facilitated cross-border reporting with Pan Atlantic University in Nigeria. The partnership, he added, will be celebrated at UniMAC in December 2025 with the launch of an anthology of migration stories produced by students in both countries.
He also spoke about UniMAC’s entry into the UNESCO MILID Global Network, its partnership with Digital Film School Africa and its collaboration with the Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts. In addition, he announced that international exchanges with the University of Television and Film Munich, Semester at Sea, Youngstown State University and the University of Leeds had greatly expanded the university’s global footprint.
Emphasising the institution’s rapid progress, Prof. Opoku Menasah disclosed that the Elba Hope Foundation, founded by Idris and Sabrina Elba, had donated state-of-the-art studio equipment valued at twenty-five thousand dollars to support creative arts training. He also cited the continuing scholarship programme with the Lebanese Embassy which supported twenty-six students this year.
Despite these achievements, the Vice-Chancellor raised urgent concerns about infrastructure, describing the situation at the Institute of Film and Television as dire. He said two major buildings had failed structural integrity tests and a critical building housing the hostel, library, animation studios and lecture halls had been shut down. He added that landlords of the administrative block were demanding a thousand percent rent increase. He appealed for government intervention, noting that “a nation’s strategic institution cannot operate in rented premises, be infrastructure-constrained and face the shame of eviction.” He also called on the Ministry of Education to prioritise the long-stalled Institute of Languages auditorium.
The Guest Speaker and veteran filmmaker, Mr. Ivan Quashigah, delivered an emotive and riveting address that resonated deeply with graduates. Drawing on his early experiences as an NAFTI graduate, he narrated how he once cried after being posted to the National Service Secretariat because he believed he had failed. Yet, he explained, that experience became “one of the best gifts of my career” because it exposed him to the entire country and shaped his work in documentary filmmaking. He shared five lessons with the graduates. One being, “Experience is Priceless” he said, recounting how filming weddings, funerals and low-budget projects sharpened his skills. He encouraged them to learn from those ahead of them, adding that “working for free positioned me close to greatness.” He spoke on the value of service, stating that “trust is currency” and that delivering consistently without complaining opened doors for him. “Passion is Greater than a Paycheck”, he reminded the audience, explaining that his work on ‘Things We Do for Love’ was fuelled by passion rather than extra pay. His final lesson that “The Universe Rewards Sacrifice” was illustrated through the success of YOLO which he described as the return on years of invisible work.
The Valedictorian for the 2025 Graduating Class, Ms. Joanna Nhyira Adu Amoani, brought a personal and reflective voice to the ceremony. She described the UniMAC journey as one filled with anxiety, growth, laughter and countless sleepless nights, especially for students at UniMAC IFT. “We have become more than classmates, we have become more than friends, we have become family,” she said. She praised lecturers for being “parental figures, mentors and friends” who provided not only academic guidance but invaluable life lessons. She encouraged her colleagues to honour Ghana and their professions with integrity, reminding them that “we will be bold to defend forever, we will cherish, be fearless and honest in our dealings.”
The congregation closed with applause, cheers and the singing of the national song, ‘Yen Ara Asaase Ni’ as graduates stepped into the world with new responsibilities. The message running through every speech was unmistakable. Ghana’s creative economy is expanding, its communication landscape is evolving rapidly and UniMAC graduates stand at the centre of that transformation.
As the Vice-Chancellor of UniMAC, Professor Eric Opoku Mensah, reminded the graduating class, “never underestimate the power of your voice because voices shape attitudes.”
The ceremony affirmed UniMAC’s mission to shape ethical communicators, courageous storytellers and creative innovators who will influence Ghana’s future.
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By Makida El Husseini
UniMAC-IFT First Class Graduate and Broadcast Journalist