Prof. Emmanuel Derbile

Prof. E.K. Derbile holds several degrees and certificates. He holds a Ph.D in Development Studies from the University of Bonn (Germany, 2010) and MSc. in Development Planning and Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Kumasi)/University of Dortmund (Germany, 2003). He also holds a BA Degree in Integrated Development Studies from the University for Development Studies, Tamale and a Certificate in Management of Development Organizations from St. Francis Xavier University, now University of British Columbia (Canada).

Prof. E K. Derbile has over 24 years work experience in academia, rising through the various academic ranks in the University system from 1999 to date. He is currently a Professor of Development Planning in the Department of Planning (DoP) in the University.  He has taught several courses both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has also successfully supervised several undergraduate student theses, 27 M.Phil theses and 4 Ph.Ds. He is currently supervising a couple of masters and Ph.D students.

He has researched and published extensively in both local and foreign scientific outlets, addressing the subject of environmental change, particularly, vulnerability to climate change, livelihood sustainability, endogenous knowledge systems and development, including local knowledge systems and the policy implications for development planning. Some of his research and publications address the subject of health financing and equity related issues in health care services and utilisation.  He has to his credit over 60 peer-reviewed publications.

Prof. E.K. Derbile has extensive experience in academic administration. He served as the Foundation Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University.  He was appointed to this position in July, 2020 by the Governing Council of the University to support the establishment of the new University. He played a key role in supporting the Foundation Vice-Chancellor and Management address some critical and strategic needs, including, restructuring of the University, accreditation and running of academic programmes, development of the University Statutes and other important policies.  He has also managed the inception of new Faculties and Schools, supporting their set-ups and managing their take-offs until substantive Deans were appointed. These include the School of Education and Life-Long Learning (SoELL), Faculty of Public Policy and Governance (FPPG), and the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR). He is currently playing a similar role in the set-up and management of the School of Law.

Outside the mainstream, he is also the Director of the West African Centre for Sustainable Rural Transformation (WAC-SRT), a centre of academic excellence involving a partnership of universities (Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Ghana, University of Abdou Moumouni (Niger) and the University of Bonn (Germany). With sponsorship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the centre has provided and continue to provide scholarships for postgraduate students (Masters and PhD started in 2021) in subject areas critical for building human resource capacity for promoting sustainable rural transformation in West Africa. Under his leadership as Director, the WAC-SRT has and continue to deploy its resources, including offices, conference and E-learning facilities, computers and other resources for supporting the set-up and running of the University since its inception in May, 2020.

Prior to his most recent appointment, Prof. E. K. Derbile served as Acting Principal of the Wa Campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) during which he played a leadership role in its transition from a campus of the University for Development Studies to a full-fledged University. Prior to that, he served as Dean of Faculty for two-terms (6-years), Vice-Dean, Head of Department, Coordinator of Postgraduate Programmes and Coordinator for Community Outreach Programmes. He has also served as Member of the Governing Council of the UDS and currently the SDD-UBIDS Council. He has extensive experience serving on almost all boards and committees key to University governance – at the UDS and now at SDD-UBIDS. Prof. E.K Derbile has led and co-led a number of grantmanship initiatives since 2004 attracting various funding to support research and development of the University. He has led eight (8) projects and co-led or supported three (3) projects in the areas of research, scholarship for students and institutional development – projects that have supported the growth and internationalization of the University in many different ways.  From 2013 to 2016, he served as the Innovations Officer for the Resilient Africa Network (RILab) project lab at UDS, a project with a partnership of 20 Sub-Saharan African universities together with Stanford University, Tulane University and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the US with funding from USAID.

Prof. E.K Derbile has also demonstrated extensive experience in professional practice, outside the university system. He is a Member of the Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP) with a membership of over 900 planning professionals – contributing to the national efforts at achieving sustainable development in Ghana. As part of his professional practice, he also served as a Member of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) of Ghana, representing the Upper West Region at the Commission from 2015 to 2017. At the Commission, he served as Convenor of the Infrastructure and Human Settlement Planning Committee, member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He has also led about  30 consultancy projects in several areas, including baseline studies, evaluative research, gender studies and analysis, sustainability studies, and strategic planning and training for national and international NGOs and public sector agencies in Ghana. He co-founded Endogenous Development Service (EDS) in 2013, a research and development service organisation with a focus on promoting endogenous development approaches to poverty reduction and sustainable development in deprived rural communities and small towns in Ghana and northern Ghana in particular.