Igbinedion Varsity seeks to run joint undergraduate, postgraduate IT courses with renowned digital Institute

Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), Edo State

By Editor

April 22, 2023

The management of Igbinedion University, Okada (IOU), Edo State has disclosed its plans to run joint specialised Information Technology (IT) courses, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).

Professor Lawrence Ezemonye,Vice-Chancellor of the University made the disclosure at the opening of a five-day training on advanced digital appreciation programme for 100 staff members of the  University by DBI and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Ezemonye said the joint 

educational programmes would be in the areas of co-design, co-development and co-delivery of specialised IT-related courses.

He opined that the five-day training was strategic to the institution's plan to consolidate on its Smart campus regime.

"The regime is gaining recognition, particularly with the recent Best Information Technology (IT)  Academy and the Most Supportive Vice-Chancellor awards of the Huawei Academy, which were won by the school.

"Digital Bridge Institute's commitment to transforming the digital space in the country's tertiary institutions of which IUO is a beneficiary, is praiseworthy indeed.

"It is emblematic of the future direction of the higher education landscape where Artificial Intelligence, robotics, virtual reality and other innovations are gaining preeminence,"he said.

The vice-chancellor commended the DBI as well as the NCC, which funded the programme, for their generosity and unflinching support.

In his remarks, Prof. Mohammed Jiya, President/Chief Executive Officer of the institute said the adaptive training was introduced and funded by the NCC to bridge the digital gap between graduates of various tertiary institutions and requirements by the employing industry particularly in the ICT space.

Jiya represented by Mr. Osaretin Enagbare, who coordinated the DBI training noted that after the training, the beneficiaries will come out as graduates well grounded in their various ICT space.

The DBI boss, who explained that the institute oftentimes realised the digital gap between fresh graduates from institutions and what is required in the industry, added that NCC saw the need to bridge the gap by saddling DBI with the responsibility.

"As a result of this, the institute came up with an adaptive programme where participants would be equipped with practical skills in ICT and emerging trends in the ICT space.

"Of course, you will agree with me that ICT right now is fast growing and developing. Therefore, there is this need to keep us on our toes.

There is this need to be found up-to-spade by this emerging technologies in the ICT space.

"That is why DBI comes in by equipping both teaching and non-teaching staff of various institutions on this ICT trend. It is done in such a way that knowledge can be cascaded from academic staff to the students. 

"So it is more like killing two birds with a stone; it is training the trainers. We train the staff and they in return train the students. 

Dailymonitorngr reports that modules for the training cover Digital Skills Cybersecurity and Emerging Technology (DSCET) as well as statistical analysis using the SPSS and Power BI.