Assessing the role of internally generated revenue at public universities in Ghana – a case study of UEW

Abstract

This study examines the role of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as an unavoidable alternative funding source for Ghana's public universities. Underfunding is one of the most serious issues confronting Ghana's public universities today. The study offers a descriptive analysis of the components of internally generated revenue. The study employed a qualitative method approach to assess the role of internally generated revenue. The study was conducted in University of Education, Winneba, with a sample size of 107 and 95 respondents answered questionnaire that was administered to them. The study drew on available literature to revalidate the IGR's inevitability over government subsidies, which fail to provide adequate funding for universities' operating and capital needs. The main sources of IGR are student fees and non-student fees. The study revealed that there are numerous IGR generation sources, some have a significant impact on the university’s financials such as sale of admission forms, residential facility fee, sandwich fees, and sale of farm products whilst others like re-sit fees, hire of university properties, medical examination fees and environment sanitation fees have a minor impact on the university’s financials. The study recommend that university management should put in place effective measures to ensure that IGR sources that contribute huge amount to the university’s revenue should be improved and efficiently managed.