The University started as a Polytechnic in 1999. It was established under PNDC Law 321(1992), which was amended in 2007 with an Act of Parliament (Act 745).
Though established in 1999, its academic programmes started in September 2003 at the former Meat Marketing Company building in Bukere, a suburb of Bolgatanga. It became the first permanent site until 2007 when it relocated to its current main campus at Sumbrungu, on the Bolgatanga – Navrongo highway.
It was upgraded to a University in April, 2020 by the Technical Universities amendment Act 2020 (Act 1016).
It has since its inception grown in terms of infrastructure, staff numbers and qualification, academic programmes as well as student numbers. Currently, the University has two campuses: the Bukere and Sumbrungu Campuses. The Bukere Campus is where both tertiary and non-tertiary programmes are run including the Evening School or Part-time Programmes while the Sumbrungu or Main Campus houses the Administration of the University and all full-time academic programmes.
The University now runs over thirty-five (35) different tertiary programmes of MSc, BSc, BTech, HND and Dipolma curricula in five (5) Schools, i.e School of Business and Management Studies, School of Applied Science and Arts, School of Built Environment, School of Agriculture and School of Engineering. The Master of Science programmes are run by the School of Graduate Studies.
Ecological Agriculture is the niche area of the University. The University has industrial partnerships with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Savanah Agriculture Research Institute (SARI), and the Skills Development Fund (SDF) to improve agriculture in the savannah region of Ghana. and institutional collaborations with the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, the Apidon Academy of Science, Burkina Faso, the Universite Ouaga 1, the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, USA, the Ashesi University, among others.
The vision of the University is to become a preferred technical university with innovative academic programmes producing graduates equipped with new technological skills for sustainable development.
The mission of the university is to provide career-focused education, applying state-of-the-art laboratories and workshops for teaching, practical training, applied research, sustainable agricultural and entrepreneurship development in a conducive environment.
CORE VALUES
Our core values are the shared principles and commitment that rally all staff, students and other stakeholders to achieve our vision. These are: Academic freedom, Excellence, Integrity, Innovation, Discipline, Sustainability and Equity. These values are deep-seated philosophies that guide our actions and are considered as the University’s cultural foundation stone.
Academic freedom
The University acknowledges the right to freedom of expression in teaching, learning and research in line with its ethical policies.
Excellence
The University strives to exceed expectations not only in providing quality teaching, research and community service, but also for continuous improvement in its services university-wide.
Integrity
The University shall ensure honesty, professionalism and respect for others, while accepting responsibility for the ethical consequences of its ideas and actions.
Innovation
The University strives to challenge assumptions, create and anticipate change and encourage both its internal and external stakeholders to bring new ideas on-board.
Discipline
The University is committed to cultivating behaviours that are consistent and align with achieving the University’s goals and vision by vigorously applying the rules and regulations governing it.
Sustainability
The University embraces sustainable development by incorporating relevant aspects of climate change, biodiversity and ecological practices across the entirety of the University.
Equity
The University is committed to ensuring fair treatment, equality of opportunity, fairness in access to information, resources and opportunities that staff and students need to succeed. The University seeks to eliminate barriers and facilitate the participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in all its programmes.
The niche area of the University is ecological agriculture in line with its agrarian and savannah geographical location. The University will strive to ensure that the niche area guides its programmes and activities.
Bolgatanga Technical University is engaged in a number of collaborations. The University has collaborations with the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on English language immersion training and industrial attachment including research for their students.
The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, USA to conduct curriculum assessment and infusion of international standards and resources in the hospitality and tourism curricula and to promote exchange of students and staff for research and training.
The Apidon Academy of Science, Burkina Faso to share training and research.
