EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN TERTIARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA: THE CASE OF THE UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, TAMALE

Abstract

This study focused on the effectiveness of communication channels in tertiary educational institutions in the Northern Region of Ghana using the University for Development Studies in Tamale as a case study. A case study research design and mixed method approach was used to guide data collection and analysis. A sample size of 285 was used out of a target population of 1,077 staff based on Krejcie and Morgan’s formula. Most of the respondents were young people aged between 26 and 45 years, most of whom were males, and many had an education to the levels of a master’s and above. The majority of the respondents worked at the UDS for a period of 6 to 20 years. Also, the majority in UDS preferred using written communication channels, mostly done via memoranda, letters, and circulars, as they found them more reliable, consistent, convenient, and effective than the other modes. Websites, mobile /telephone calls, publications /newsletters, and meetings /seminars /training, which were always used, were also found very effective. However, the study showed that there is no one channel that UDS used as a panacea for achieving effective communication. Communication challenges were mainly barriers caused by bureaucracy, distance due to the multi-campus system of UDS, unclear messages, lack of feedback, unstable internet connectivity and delays in communication from management. The study recommends that UDS management adopt and use communication channels which are effective and operate in real time and space