I am a very
experienced nurse and a mental health practitioner with over forty-five years
of experience and expertise in all aspects of the nursing profession. I have
also taught for several years during practice as a nurse who trains registered
nurses to become autonomous Practitioners.
Formally, I have taught in Universities in Ghana for over seven years in
nursing and the school of medical sciences.
Although I have
always been interested in obtaining my PhD, it had not been a priority in my
career though the university insisted on all lecturers attaining a Terminal
degree. However, I discovered rather painfully at the Universities in Ghana
that if one did not hold a PhD any original project one would initiate becomes
owned by someone else because he/she holds a PhD. For this reason and the fact
that every original initiative of mine had been taken over by someone else by
virtue of them holding a PhD, I decided that I would take control of my initiatives
by ensuring that I undertook a PhD degree.
I applied to many
universities both on line and in person in the UK. All the UK institutions
insisted on me attending lectures on a regular basis while I took my modules
for PhD. None of the Universities I approached was willing to look at my
experiences, skills and credentials and consider a tailor-made programme for me
even though I made such suggestions to some of them. The nearest I got to this
request was an agreement of one university to supervise me to do the old-time
Research PhD which was a nonstarter because we could not even have a discussion
on the phone to move forward. In my disappointment, I gave up on them since I
was being hindered rather than enhanced. In my anxiety, I took to the internet
once more and this time I decided to try Atlantic International University. -AIU.
I was amazed at
the enthusiasm with which I was welcomed and made to feel at home almost
instantly. They instinctively noticed my numerous achievements, expertise and
credentials and suggested to me to take the route that I had spent several
years suggesting to various universities in the UK. I planned my own Curricula
which enabled me to concentrate on subjects that were relevant and pertinent to
my current position and work and recognised my previous work, learning,
knowledge and experience which in itself was motivating for me. The support I
received from Sandra Garcia to begin with was reassuring and the continuous support
I received from my Supervisor- Andreas Rissler is second to none; with his
motivating comments when he had enjoyed reading my assignments. The excitement
with which he attends to my assignments is palpable sometimes and tells me he
was really looking after my interest. My personal tutor Rina Lehnhoff too was
very helpful and always there for me; always came to assistance. Great Team I
had. If even one university in the UK had shown such enthusiasm and motivated
me half as much I would have been so grateful and most likely completed my
terminal degree by now.
I am very grateful
to AIU for endorsing what I have always maintained, that because of my own
interest in education and learning and the long service work I had put in to
the NHS-UK, I had been privileged to acquire so much experiences, knowledge and
skills as well as numerous credentials that in themselves more or less
qualified me for a PhD., that I should have my skills, knowledge and experiences
accredited to award me the degree of PhD but no university took notice. Only
AIU in my opinion was and is, smart enough to have such insight in light of the
changing modes of learning in the world these days.
I am very grateful
to AIU for acknowledging my Skills, Knowledge and Experiences and enabling me
to undertake rightly so, an accelerated mode of learning to achieve my goal. Thank
you, AIU.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely
