Welcome to the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Academic Planning (DQAAP) of Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), a strategic hub established to uphold and promote the highest standards of academic excellence, operational effectiveness and institutional integrity. Established in April 2010, the Directorate operates under the mandate to coordinate institutional planning, and to monitor and evaluate teaching, learning and research activities across all units of the University. The directorate’s goal is to assure and enhance the quality of BTU’s academic and administrative functions, thereby contributing to the University’s mission of producing skilled, competent and innovative technical and managerial professionals for national and global development.

The Directorate is governed by the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), emphasizing continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based decision-making. Through systematic audits, self-evaluations, strategic data collection and departmental reviews, the Directorate ensures the alignment of institutional practices with national regulatory standards, particularly those stipulated by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET).

The duties of the Directorate include but are not limited to the following core activities:

1. Maintaining Academic Standards: Ensuring acceptable levels of academic quality in teaching, research and innovation through robust monitoring systems and performance evaluations.
2. Evaluation of Teaching and Learning: Conducting semester-based student assessments of teaching effectiveness and course content across all faculties and departments.
3. Departmental Reviews: Coordinating regular internal academic and administrative reviews with a minimum of one comprehensive departmental review every five (5) years to ensure continual relevance and improvement.
4. Self-Assessment and Quality Audits: Facilitating institutional self-evaluation processes and quality audits as a precursor to internal development and external accreditation exercises.
5. Staff Development and Capacity Building: Supporting initiatives that promote the professional growth of academic and non-academic staff through workshops, training programmes and seminars.
6. Accreditation Coordination: Liaising with Faculties, Schools and external bodies to oversee the accreditation of new programmes and the re-accreditation of existing ones in accordance with GTEC regulations.
7. Design and Implementation of Quality Systems: Developing and reviewing internal academic quality control mechanisms and supporting policy documents, including the University’s Quality Assurance Manual.
8. Institutional Data Management: Designing appropriate formats for collecting, analysing and reporting data across the University, including datasets for regulatory compliance and strategic planning.
9. Timetabling and Resource Planning: In collaboration with the Planning Section, preparing composite timetables and optimizing the use of academic spaces and teaching resources.
10. Specialized Institutional Surveys: Conducting targeted surveys such as sanitation audits and student satisfaction assessments to inform campus policy and service delivery.

These responsibilities are affirmed in the BTU Statutes (2020), specifically:

• Statute 30: The Planning Officer is tasked with collecting, analysing and reporting institutional data, developing strategic plans, computing faculty workload indicators (FTEs), and coordinating university-wide timetabling. This planning function works in tandem with quality assurance efforts to ensure informed decision-making and continuous institutional improvement.
• Statute 31: The Director of Quality Assurance is designated as a Senior Member who leads efforts to uphold academic quality, facilitate evaluations, conduct audits, and manage all quality-related documentation, while fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.

Together, the Planning and Quality Assurance sections form an integrated system for maintaining institutional credibility, academic integrity and regulatory compliance. This collaborative framework ensures that Bolgatanga Technical University not only meets but exceeds expectations in delivering tertiary education of the highest quality