AUCB students threaten legal action over alleged delay in UG certificate processing

Some students of the African University of Communication and Business (AUCB) have threatened legal action over alleged delays in the processing of University of Ghana (UG) certificates and other academic concerns.

The students, who completed their programmes in May 2026, are demanding that AUCB submit the academic records of students who opted for UG certification to the University of Ghana for processing.

The students said the delay was inconsistent with a timeline communicated by AUCB on August 12, 2026, in which the university indicated that the names of students seeking UG certification would be compiled and submitted to UG by August 17. According to the communication, the affected students would join the next UG graduation ceremony, with the date and applicable fees to be communicated after UG provided further information.

The students, however, said they had not seen evidence that the list had been submitted or that their academic records had been processed. They contrasted this with colleagues who opted for AUCB certificates, who have been scheduled to graduate on October 31, 2026.

The group is therefore demanding that management immediately submit the academic records of students who opted for UG certification and provide clarity on the status of the process. They have given the university until close of business on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, to address their concerns, failing which they say they will pursue legal and administrative remedies.

The students have also alleged that some lecturers and administrative staff contacted students who opted for UG certificates and sought to persuade them to accept AUCB certificates instead. The students allege that some of these engagements involved pressure and intimidation. They say they are documenting the alleged interactions and could rely on the evidence in any subsequent proceedings.

The students maintain that their decision to seek UG certification is based on the affiliation arrangement under which they were admitted and does not challenge AUCB’s current status as an autonomous university.

They have cited a written response from the University of Ghana to a petition, in which UG stated that students admitted to AUCC under the affiliation arrangement remain subject to its terms and conditions for the duration of their programme. UG also indicated that students admitted in the 2022/2023 academic year who meet the relevant academic requirements would be eligible for certificates issued under the seal of the University of Ghana.

AUCB transitioned from AUCC to an autonomous university following the grant of a Presidential Charter in 2024. The institution is now accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and is authorised to award its own degrees.

The students said they do not dispute AUCB’s current status but argue that the change should not automatically affect the certification arrangements applicable to their cohort, which was admitted when the affiliation with UG was in force.

A separate concern raised by some students involves the treatment of academic records for those who entered AUCC with diploma qualifications and were admitted directly into Level 200.

According to the students, some diploma entrants were required to pay GH¢300 per paper and complete courses required by UG as part of their progression. They allege that management has since changed its position on how the results from those courses should be reflected in their academic records.

The students said the earlier practice was to combine relevant diploma courses and results with the UG-required courses to produce a complete four-year transcript. They are concerned that excluding courses they paid for and completed could result in incomplete academic records and differ from the treatment of previous cohorts.

The students say they are prepared to provide evidence supporting their concerns and will pursue legal and administrative action if the October 6 deadline passes without a resolution.