The Fund

The University for Development Studies set up the University for Development Studies Endowment Fund (UDSEF) April 2022 as an investment fund for receiving donations as well as contributions from the University and the general public with the purpose of generating operating income for the promotion of scholarship and research in the UDS.

Rationale
Each academic year, the UDS receives a large number of applications from qualified applicants for its programmes, but it is unable to admit most of them due to insufficient academic facilities. Additionally, some students are unable to pay their fees, compelling them to either defer their studies, or drop out altogether from their programmes of study. Such applicants, and even continuing students, have consistently contacted the University to seek for financial support for their study programmes, but such a facility was not available at those times.
The motivation to establish the UDS Endowment Fund is to solicit donations to be invested for returns which will provide financial support for such needy but brilliant students. Also, the Fund aims to support infrastructural development and research activities in the University.
 

Objectives
The objectives of the UDSEF are:
•    To provide bursaries to needy but brilliant students who are desirous of studying at UDS;
•    To offer scholarships to talented athletes who are financially challenged to continue their                            undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UDS;
•   To provide research grants to students and faculty interested in researching into critical and relevant          areas beneficial to UDS and Ghana as a whole; and
•    To support infrastructural development in UDS by providing and/or upgrading educational facilities             and equipment for teaching, learning, and research.

Scope
Based on the objectives of UDSEF, the scope for the disbursement of the proceeds from the Fund will encompass the following:
1.    Award of full or partial scholarships to fresh  or continuing undergraduate or post-graduate students          of UDS who are financially challenged;
2.    Award of  full or partial scholarships to talented athletes of UDS who are financially challenged;
3.    Full or partial sponsorship for the provision or upgrade of UDS educational facilities, equipment and          ICT infrastructure for academic work and research;
4.    Full or partial funding for critcial research projects undertaken by post-graduate students and faculty         members of the University.

Fund Management
The primary investment objective of the UDSEF is to produce a rate of return on investment which will fall within an acceptable bracket set by the Fund.
The Vice-Chancellor of UDS is responsible for the overall management of the UDSEF, according to guidelines set by the University Council.
The Vice-Chancellor works through the UDSEF Board of Trustees (made up of professional external persons) who hold and manage the original contributions according to the Framework of the UDSEF.
The Board of Trustees supervises the UDSEF Fundraising Committee, the UDSEF Scholarship Awards Committee, and the Fund Manager of the UDSEF.

Our Appeal
UDSEF is targeting an amount of One Hundred million Ghana Cedis (GHS 100 million) as seed amount for the UDSEF over a 5-year period. Towards this goal, the UDSEF will greatly appreciate your support for the Fund with a financial donation.
Your donation will be invested by the UDSEF Board of Trustees to yield returns, which will support scholarship and research in the UDS.
Your donation will improve access to university education at UDS which positively contributes to human resource capacity development and poverty reduction in Ghana.
While a financial donation, which can be easily channeled into an investment, is preferable, alternatively, the UDSEF could facilitate your choosing to sponsor a specific number of students pursuing particular courses at UDS over a specific period.
UDS will be further grateful to receive support for UDSEF in the form of learning resources and materials. Your kind donation in any of the above forms will be highly appreciated.

UDS’ Contribution
To demonstrate our commitment to the Fund, the UDS community has supported, and continues to support the Fund since its inception in the following ways:
•    Board of Trustees of UDSEF 
•   UDS SRC Central
•    UDS Alumni Association 
•    Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Prof. Felix K. Abagale)
•    UDS 1993 Batch
•    GAUA - UDS 
•    UDS UTAG

The following institutions and personalities have also donated to the Fund:

•    The Bank of Ghana
•    The Chief of Sagnarigu, Naa Ambassador Abdulai Yakubu
•    Trag Limited 
•    GCB Bank Limited 
•    Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) Ltd   
•    ADB Limited
•   Centre for Development and Policy Advocacy (CEDEPA)
•    Prof. James Sumberg, Sussex University, Sussex ,UK 
•    Mr. Andrews Offei
•    Dr. Abukari Abdul Aziz Danaa, Tamale Technical Univeristy
•    Dr. Yakubu Abdul-Wahab Nawusu, Tamale Technical University
•    Dr. Arnold Mashud, Tamale Technical University 
•   

 

Your Benefits
When you generously donate to the UDSEF, you earn the goodwill of the UDS, and, in the case of business entities and corporate institutions, market visibility and publicity offering from UDS. These benefits will include:
•    Citations and Certificates for Donations made.
•    National recognition for Corporate Social Responsibility.
•    Brand exposure and patronage, as well as potential long-term brand loyaltyof our over 30,000 students and alumni.

•    Brand promotion during University public programmes.
•    Free or discount fees during UDS training programmes for concerned donor entities.
•  Discounted consultancy fee for consultancy services rendered by the UDS Institute for Inter-Disciplinary Research (IIR), and listing on the UDSEF donor register on the UDSEF and UDS websites.

Our Fundraising Committee will be happy to meet with you to discuss your specific benefits, or to provide you with more information on UDSEF.