Accra: The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has dismissed reports in sections of the media alleging that it is ‘deliberately frustrating’ doctoral students at its School of Public Service and Governance, preventing them from graduating.

According to Ghana News Agency, in a statement issued and signed by Professor Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, Rector of GIMPA, the Institute described the reports as ‘misleading, unfair and lacking full context.’ It said GIMPA remained committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence and integrity in its PhD programmes.

The statement highlighted that ‘doctoral education by its very nature demands sustained commitment to high-quality research, originality and intellectual rigour.’ It emphasized that PhD education is a rigorous process rather than a race against time, aimed at producing original, high-quality research that contributes to national development and global scholarship.

Since the launch of its doctoral programmes in 2015, GIMPA has graduated about 35 PhD students, averaging three per year. The management explained that the Academic Board’s decision to introduce an ad hoc committee to review student papers was part of a quality assurance mechanism aimed at strengthening research standards.

The statement clarified that ‘the ad hoc committee gives feedback to students and supervisors towards improvement of their work,’ asserting that it is a normal peer-review process found in academia, rather than an alteration of the PhD programme structure as alleged.

While most schools within GIMPA had accepted the peer-review process, some PhD students from the School of Public Service and Governance had petitioned the Governing Council, viewing it as interference. However, the Institute emphasized that it could not ‘compromise on academic integrity by graduating students who have not met the quality standards of a PhD programme.’

New PhD guidelines have been developed to clarify expectations for all doctoral candidates. Recognizing the importance of quality output, GIMPA remains committed to producing world-class doctoral graduates whose research addresses national and global challenges.

The management of GIMPA expressed its openness to constructive dialogue with stakeholders but reiterated its commitment to ‘stand for rigour, integrity and relevance in research.’