What University for Development Studies does

The University for Development Studies (UDS) is a public university established on 15 May 1992 by the Government of Ghana, headquartered in Tamale with additional campuses in Nyankpala, Wa, Daffiama, and Navrongo. It is Ghana's first public university in the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West Regions, founded with a pedagogical mandate to blend academic learning with community service, embodied in its Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum (notably at the School of Medicine, developed with NUFFIC/NICHE support) and its Community-Based Education and Service (COBES) program. The institution operates 9 Schools (Graduate School, Allied Health Sciences, Business, Dentistry, Economics, Engineering, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), 6 Faculties (Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences; Bioscience; Communication and Media Studies; Education; Industrial Arts and Technology; Law), and multiple specialized institutes and centres, including the World Bank-supported West African Centre for Sustainable Rural Transformation and the host site for the EU-funded CIRAWA agroecology project.

UDS serves a student body spanning secondary school graduates entering four-year BSc and two-year diploma programmes, postgraduate researchers pursuing MSc/MPhil/PhD, working professionals enrolled in weekend sandwich programmes, mature-age entrants (25+), and ECOWAS-region international students. The institution runs a Campus Manager student information system (ucm.uds.edu.gh), an eLearning platform, and a digital library to support academic delivery, alongside operational facilities including the Nyankpala research and commercial farm, a meats processing unit, a mechanization unit, and the recently opened Dental Clinic on the Tamale campus.

The revenue model combines tuition fees (annual subscription, tiered by programme level and domestic/international status), Ghana government subvention and salary allocation, externally funded research grants and consultancy (World Bank/WACWISA, EU CIRAWA, NUFFIC, USAID, GIZ, IFAD, AGRA, FAO, IFPRI, JIRCAS, IWMI, KAAD), healthcare revenue from the Dental Clinic and allied facilities, and income from commercial farm operations. Distribution relies on a multi-campus direct-delivery model, an online admissions portal, centralized student portal, and self-serve eLearning access for remote learners, with outreach via education fairs, campus open days, and the university's official web presence.

Name

University for Development Studies

Legal name

University for Development Studies

Website

https://uds.edu.gh

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The University for Development Studies is Ghana's first public university in the Northern Regions, operating multi-campus higher education across Tamale, Nyankpala, Wa, Daffiama, and Navrongo with nine Schools and six Faculties delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in health sciences, agriculture, engineering, and development-focused disciplines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate research
• Health sciences training
• Distance learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tamale

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition fees across undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and sandwich programmes. Fee structures vary by programme level and student residency status.
2. Research and Consultancy Services: The university generates revenue through externally funded research projects, consultancy services, and grants from international development partners and government agencies.
3. Healthcare Services: Revenue from dental clinic and other healthcare facilities serving both students and the general public.
4. Commercial Farm Operations: Income from research and commercial farm units including meat products and agricultural produce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

University for Development Studies (UDS) is a Ghanaian public university offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degree programs across multiple disciplines, including agriculture, health sciences, education, integrated development studies, applied sciences, and humanities. The university operates across several campuses in Northern Ghana and runs affiliated facilities such as the University for Development Studies Hospital and the School of Hygiene, combining teaching with community-based research and development-oriented training.

Product overview

The University for Development Studies is Ghana's first public university in the North, established on 15th May 1992. The institution operates as a comprehensive university with multiple schools and faculties offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across diverse disciplines. The university's academic portfolio includes nine Schools (Graduate School, School of Allied Health Sciences, School of Business, School of Dentistry, School of Economics, School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery, and School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), six Faculties (Agriculture Food and Consumer Sciences, Bioscience, Communication and Media Studies, Education, Industrial Arts and Technology, and Law), and multiple specialized Institutes and Centres including the West African Centre for Sustainable Rural Transformation and the Diagnostic Imaging Research Centre. The university also operates digital platforms including a Student Portal (UCM), eLearning Platform, and University Library to support academic delivery. The institution recently launched a Dental Clinic to support practical training and healthcare delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Postgraduate Degree Programs
• Health Sciences Training
• Distance Learning Programs
• Agricultural Sciences Programs
• University for Development Studies Hospital

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates prepared for employment in agricultural development, healthcare, agribusiness, and government sectors across Ghana and West Africa
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUDS participated in WAHO-organized international workshop on harmonization of medical curricula in the ECOWAS sub-region. All four Ghanaian medical schools participated in this Benin workshop aimed at standardizing medical education across West Africa.
• African Union (Maputo and Malabo Commitments)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhD programme in Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems aligns with African Union's Maputo and Malabo declarations for agricultural growth and transformation in Africa.
• Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as potential employer for graduates of agricultural programmes including MPhil Agricultural Project Management and Policy.
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration and graduate employment pathway for agricultural economics and project management graduates.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO listed as potential employer/internship host for agricultural and food systems graduates.
• USAID (ADVANCE, FINGap programmes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID-funded agricultural development programmes mentioned as employment pathways for graduates and collaboration partners in agribusiness research.
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFPRI mentioned as research collaboration partner and graduate employment pathway for agricultural economics students.
• Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as potential employer for graduates of agribusiness and agricultural programmes.
• Food and Drugs Authority (Ghana)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body collaborating with UDS School of Pharmacy on stakeholder engagements regarding herbal medicine safety and regulation.
• Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine PractitionersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional body engaged with UDS School of Pharmacy on discussions about herbal medicine safety, regulation, and responsible practice.
• AFRIAK ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellowship programme under which Emmanuel Adom conducts research on indigenous medicinal plants and contributes to documenting African traditional knowledge.
• Ghana Statistical ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhana Statistical Service certified Mohammed Abdulai as national trainer for censuses and surveys.
• Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partner with UDS on climate change and development projects.
• Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational agricultural research institute collaborating on climate change and food security research.
• SNV Netherlands Development OrganisationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization collaborating on community outreach projects including WACDEP and RESULTS projects.
• ACDEP (Association of Church-based Development NGOs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating NGO network in agricultural and community development projects in Ghana.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on ecosystem services in the Volta Basin and SustInAfrica project for sustainable farming systems.
• Center for Development Research (ZEF) - University of BonnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Issahaku Gazali is a member of the Volatility Research team at ZEF, Bonn.
• African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Alhassan Andani serves as research fellow with AERC.
• UNDPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on community development and complementary education projects in Ghana.
• WFP (World Food Programme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as potential employer for graduates of food security and agricultural programmes.
• AGRAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance for Green Revolution in Africa collaborating on agricultural technology adoption research.
• Fort Valley State University (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with USDA-funded project on enhancing the value chain and market information systems for small-scale farmers and women in Ghana's cowpea industry.
• Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists (GAAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association with membership including UDS faculty.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/udsghana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University for Development Studies