Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is a public university in Kumasi, Ghana, with a mandate in science and technology: to provide higher education, undertake research, disseminate knowledge and foster relationships with outside persons and bodies. It grew out of the Kumasi College of Technology, opened in January 1952, became a full university in 1961 and was renamed Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology by Act 559 of 1998. Its stated vision is to build on its leadership as the premier science and technology university in Ghana and to be among the top ten universities in Africa.

The campus lies about seven kilometres from the central business district of Kumasi, on undulating land of roughly sixteen square kilometres, with the Halls of Residence, Administration Block, Library and Great Hall occupying the central portion. Since January 2005 the university has operated a collegiate system, a three-tier structure of Provosts of Colleges, Deans of Faculties and Heads of Departments. There are six colleges: Science, Engineering, Art and Built Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences. The School of Graduate Studies and the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) offer postgraduate and distance programmes.

Research is carried out by teams in departments, institutes and centres, spanning the arts, science and technology, and is coordinated through the Office of Grants and Research, with a central database of research areas and publications and an institutional repository.

Student life is organised through Junior Common Room Committees in the halls and the Students' Representative Council, alongside faculty societies. There are over 100 student groups and organisations, run by students. The six halls of residence are Queen Elizabeth II, Unity, Independence, Republic, University and Africa; hostels on campus include postgraduate hostels and one managed by the Ghana Universities Staff Superannuation Scheme (GUSSS). About 60% of the student population is non-resident, living in private hostels in and around Kumasi, and three non-resident facilities on campus provide reading rooms, lockers and rest areas. All halls have wi-fi, and there are more than 30 dining locations in and around campus, a commercial area with banks, a post office and a bookshop.

KNUST has a large international community; the share of foreign students could be as high as 10%, fees depend on the course, and an International Students Association looks after accommodation and orientation of first years. International students are required to live in university halls or designated hostels (GUSSS, Hall Seven and SRC hostels). The university awarded its first degrees in June 1964, and all degree examinations are reviewed by external examiners and moderators.