About Cohas
College of Health & Allied Sciences · UCC
About CoHAS
Established in 2014 following the re-organisation of the University of Cape Coast, CoHAS is a three-tier college comprising five distinguished schools committed to producing world-class health professionals.
Our Story
A College that educates, impacts and transforms lives
CoHAS was precipitated by the re-organisation of the University in 2014 to re-align the administrative and academic setup of the University into colleges. CoHAS is a three-tier College consisting of five Schools — Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Optometry and Vision Science — each with several academic departments.
Together, the Schools are responsible for developing and administering programmes related to the education of healthcare professionals. CoHAS offers rigorous curricula grounded in the sciences connected to the healthcare professions, placing emphasis on contemporary issues.
Our curricula are built on our commitments to interdisciplinary inquiry, international understanding, interactive teaching, research and creative endeavours, practical application, and social responsibility towards all communities.
Vision
A College well positioned in producing quality health professionals within and across the globe, offering outstanding possibilities for partnering, enrolling and sponsoring.
Mission
- Provide unique health education of the highest standards and value by blending internationally validated curricula.
- Produce high caliber health professionals and scientists.
- Train health practitioners and researchers motivated to maintain excellence in healthcare.
- Establish centres of excellence in research and service delivery.
What We Stand For
Core Values
Our values define who we are, how we teach and the professionals we produce.
Professionalism
Maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct, competence and commitment in all healthcare education and practice.
Advocacy
Championing the health and wellbeing of communities — using knowledge and influence to advance public health across Ghana and beyond.
Academic Excellence
Delivering internationally benchmarked curricula, rigorous research and scholarship that meets the highest global standards.
Leadership & Innovation
Nurturing bold thinkers and leaders who advance healthcare systems through creative solutions and evidence-based practice.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Community & Industry Activities
CoHAS students gain hands-on experience through structured real-world programmes that extend the classroom into communities and industries.
Elective Placement Programme
Students undertake elective placements in hospitals and healthcare facilities both locally and internationally, gaining direct patient contact and cross-cultural healthcare exposure.
COBES — Community-Based Experience & Service
Students are posted to rural and peri-urban COBES sites — their extended "classrooms without walls" — where they provide healthcare and conduct community-level research in Ghana's pristine rural environments.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
An active, student-centred learning approach where students work collaboratively to solve real clinical and public health problems, building critical thinking and teamwork skills.
INDES — Industry-Based Experience & Service
Students are placed in pharmaceutical, biomedical and health industry settings, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and professional health industry practice.
Leadership & Structure
Governance Structure
CoHAS is governed through a participatory corporate governance system that ensures accountability, academic integrity and strategic direction.
College Board
The College is governed by the College Board, which consists of:
- Provost — Chairman
- Deans and Vice-Deans of all Schools
- Heads of Department
- All persons of Professorial rank
- One representative of Professorial rank from every other College
- College Registrar — Secretary
- College Finance Officer and Director of Internal Audit in attendance
Why CoHAS
Our Strengths
What makes CoHAS the leading college of health sciences in Ghana.
Demand-driven programmes developed in response to Ghana's real health workforce needs and international healthcare standards.
A good mix of highly qualified and dedicated faculty committed to academic excellence and cutting-edge research.
Unique instructional techniques including Problem-Based Learning (PBL), COBES and INDES that make learning practical and impactful.
A participatory corporate governance system that ensures transparency, accountability and inclusive decision-making.
Consistently attracts high-caliber students from across Ghana and internationally, drawn by our academic reputation.
Strong partnerships with hospitals, health facilities, industries and international universities for clinical training and research.
Track Record
Achievements & Impact
Over a decade of excellence — building Ghana's health workforce through education, research and community service.
Research & Innovation
Research, Grants & Publications
CoHAS is producing impactful research that addresses Ghana's health challenges and contributes to global health science.
Velux Stiftung grant awarded to the DVFR Centre (SOVS) — first ophthalmic electrophysiology lab in Sub-Saharan Africa
Brain Research Unit (BRU), P4PHPT-II Programme, Diagnostic & Visual Function Research Centre (DVFR)
CoHAS co-hosted the 15th Convention of Biomedical Research in Ghana — connecting scientists for future health innovations
Highlighted Grants & Funding
Velux Stiftung Foundation — DVFR Centre, SOVS
Established the first ISCEV-standard ophthalmic electrophysiology laboratory in Sub-Saharan Africa, supporting ERG, VEP, mfERG and EOG research in vision science.
P4PHPT-II — Public Health Research Programme
Collaborative multi-year public health research programme developing evidence-based policy for Ghana's health system, in partnership with international universities.
Brain Research Unit (BRU) — Neuroscience
Active investigator-led grants supporting neurological disorder research and evidence-based brain health interventions across West Africa.
FDA–SoPPS Partnership — Pharmacovigilance Research
Partnership with the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority to develop postgraduate programmes and joint research in Pharmacovigilance and Regulatory Science.
Our Network
Affiliated Institutions
CoHAS works with a network of hospitals, clinical training centres and specialised health institutions across Ghana, providing students with real-world clinical experience.
Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH)
The primary clinical training site for CoHAS. Elevated to Teaching Hospital status in March 2014 through UCC's advocacy. Home to the main clinical rotations for medical, nursing and allied health students.
School of Anaesthesia — Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi
Provides specialist anaesthesia training affiliated to CoHAS programmes.
School of Anaesthesia — Ridge Hospital, Accra
Affiliated anaesthesia training facility providing clinical postings for CoHAS students in the Greater Accra Region.
37 Military Hospital Training School, Accra
Provides clinical training affiliation for allied health and nursing students in a military healthcare setting.
School of Dispensing Optics — Oyoko, Ashanti Region
Affiliated optics training school providing practical dispensing optics education linked to the SOVS Dispensing Optics programme.
Across Ghana — from Accra to Kumasi to Cape Coast — providing diverse clinical training environments for CoHAS students.
Our Direction
Strategic Goals
CoHAS aligns with the University of Cape Coast Corporate Strategic Plan, pursuing four key strategic themes to advance health professional education in Ghana.
Teaching & Learning Excellence
Promote an active and reflective teaching and learning environment that improves students' lives and produces graduates with strong ethics and commitment to society, using PBL, COBES and INDES models.
Research, Innovation & Knowledge Transfer
Strengthen responsible research capacity, attract research grants, forge industry partnerships and translate CoHAS research into healthcare policy and community health solutions across Ghana.
International Visibility & Collaboration
Enhance international partnerships with universities, health agencies and funding bodies worldwide — building CoHAS as a globally recognised centre of health professional education in West Africa.
Infrastructure & ICT Enhancement
Strengthen and improve laboratories, clinical facilities, ICT infrastructure and learning environments that enhance usability and deliver a world-class student experience across all five schools.
UCC Corporate Strategic Plan
Read the full University of Cape Coast Corporate Strategic Plan — outlining the nine key strategic thrusts guiding CoHAS and all UCC colleges.
Leadership History
Past & Present Provosts
The leaders who have shaped the College of Health and Allied Sciences since its establishment in 2014.
Get in Touch
University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Central Region, Ghana
Email: cohas@ucc.edu.gh | Tel: (+233) 0312 297504