The Governing Council of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, has appointed Professor Bernard Kumi-Boateng as the institution’s new Vice Chancellor, effective August 1, 2026.
The appointment follows a rigorous, transparent selection process conducted by a duly constituted Search Committee, established in line with the university’s statutes, according to a statement signed by Professor Goski Alabi, Chairperson of the UMaT Governing Council.
The statement indicated that the committee undertook an extensive national and international search, applied clearly defined criteria, and conducted a thorough evaluation of candidates before submitting its report and recommendations to the Council.
After careful consideration of the committee’s report, the Council approved Professor Kumi-Boateng’s appointment in recognition of his distinguished academic record, leadership experience, and demonstrated capacity to advance UMaT’s strategic vision.
“The Council is confident that Professor Kumi-Boateng possesses the vision, integrity, and leadership capability required to guide UMaT into its next phase of growth,” Professor Alabi said. “We are particularly impressed by his track record in academic leadership, research, and institutional development as demonstrated by the Search Committee’s report. Council looks forward to working closely with the new Vice Chancellor to further strengthen UMaT’s position as a leading institution in mining, engineering, and applied sciences.”
The Governing Council expressed deep appreciation to the Search Committee for their diligence, professionalism, and commitment to a merit-based, credible selection process. The university also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, whose leadership significantly advanced UMaT’s development and reputation.
As the university embarks on this new chapter, Council called on all stakeholders—staff, students, alumni, and partners—to extend their full support to the new Vice Chancellor in advancing the mission and vision of UMaT.
Profile: Professor Bernard Kumi-Boateng
Professor Bernard Kumi-Boateng is a scholar of international repute and current Dean of the Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Studies at UMaT, where he is a Full Professor of Geomatic Engineering. He is described as visionary and business-oriented, with a proven ability to build rapport between industry and the university.
He brings 19 years of experience in teaching, research, and extension services to the university, national community, and international community.
Prof. Kumi-Boateng serves as an External Moderator for the Department of Geospatial and Space Technology at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and is a Visiting Professor to the University of the Gambia. He is also an External Examiner to the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) in the Netherlands.
He served on the Ghana National Committee of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) from 2013 to 2021 and on WAEC’s International Final Awards and Examiners’ Appointments Committee (2014–2021). He has been a reviewer for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme (USA) and the £1 million Newton Fund (UK National Commission for UNESCO) since 2014.
Prof. Kumi-Boateng was part of a World Bank-sponsored group for the first regional capacity-building workshop on benchmarking African universities. He has developed several Competency-Based Training (CBT) curricula and quality assurance documents for Kumasi Technical University, Takoradi Technical University, Tamale Technical University, and Bolgatanga Technical University. He also served on a GIZ team that developed curricula for Recycling Technology and Building Construction (NC 1 and NC 2).
He is the first UMaT-trained professor to attain his rank, with proven strategic leadership, unblemished ethical character, and a clear vision for aligning institutional growth with the university’s strategic plan. He is currently the youngest full professor by rank at UMaT.
His administrative roles have included Dean of Planning and Quality Assurance, Dean of Students, Vice Dean of Students, Vice Dean of International Programmes, Head of three academic departments (Geomatic Engineering; Mathematics and Computer Science and Engineering), Senior Hall Tutor, Examinations Officer, and Training Coordinator. He has served on over 200 ad-hoc committees at the university over 19 years.
His research and consultancy interests include project management, resettlement action plans, environmental management, compensation and cadastral surveying, drone surveys, socio-economic baseline and impact assessments, land access and sustainable community development, urban mining (e-waste), and informal e-waste stakeholder engagement.
Since his appointment in 2007, Prof. Kumi-Boateng and his colleagues have secured GH¢ 444,739,882.98 in consultancies and grants, reflecting his credibility with industry and government.
He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Project Management Professionals, Ghana; a Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS); a Fellow of the West African Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (WAIMM); and a member of several professional bodies including the International Association of Engineers (IAENG), Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG), African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE), American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG), Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), and Ghana Geospatial Society (GGS).
Beyond academia, he has demonstrated fundraising capacity and prudent resource management to drive research and development. He has worked directly with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology; Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources; GIZ; AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi & Iduapriem Mines); Atlantic Lithium Ltd; Fairphones; Pure Earth; World Resources Forum Association; Oeko Institute; and SRI, among others.
