University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA)

The University of Professional Studies, Accra is a Ghanaian public university whose defining institutional feature is the integration of university education with professional training in accounting, finance, management and related fields. Its origins date to 1965, when Nana J. K. Opoku Ampomah established a private tutorial college to prepare students for professional business qualifications. At a time when specialised professional education opportunities were limited in West Africa, the institution developed a focus on producing accountants and administrators for business and public-sector organisations.
The institution's transformation reflects the evolution of professional education in Ghana. The government took it over in 1978, and legislation in 1999 formalised its status as a tertiary institution. It received a presidential charter in September 2008, enabling it to award its own qualifications, before the University of Professional Studies Act, 2012 (Act 850) established its present name. This progression from private tutorial college to public university distinguishes UPSA from institutions founded primarily around conventional academic disciplines.