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…As CEDHUL holds week-long programme
… Initiative floated to address skills gap in humanities – Ope-Devies
The University of Lagos (Unilag) over the past week recorded another groundbreaking initiative in kits effort towards producing future ready students with the capability to navigate and thrive in a dynamic and disruptive technology-driven environment.
The university in its attempt to create a level playing field for all, backed with the knowledge that digital skills is no longer optional in achieving its future ready agenda, committed to promoting the needed support for non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), created the Centre for Digital Humanities, University of Lagos (CEDHUL).
The Centre was created to leverage the ‘town and gown’ synergy to raise and equip a new generation of tech-skilled workforce to drive the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy, especially in the Arts and Humanities.
“It is imperative that we equip ourselves and more importantly our students, both undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as scholars and researchers across all the disciplines with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate and thrive in this dynamic and disruptive technology environment,” Folasade Ogunsola, vice chancellor, University of Lagos, said during the inaugural Lagos Spring School in digital entrepreneurship and digital cultures.
The week-long programme themed, ‘Digital Technology and Digital Entrepreneurship as Catalyst for Innovation, Socio-Cultural Transformation and Economic Empowerment’ aimed at raising and equipping 21st century’s future business leaders in promoting tech for social good.
Ogunsola, who was represented by Foluso Ebun Afolabi Lesi, the DVC, development services, disclosed that the maiden Lagos spring school represents a significant milestone in the university’s collective pursuit of knowledge, innovation and progress.
According to her, Unilag will leverage the Spring School initiative to foster a culture of digital entrepreneurship. She disclosed that her administration is deeply committed to the future ready agenda and that the Lagos Spring School aligns perfectly with the institution’s vision.
“This agenda is not merely a slogan. It is a guiding principle that informs every aspect of our academic and administrative endeavours. We recognise that the future belongs to those who embrace technology, who are agile and adaptable, and who possess the entrepreneurial spirit to create value and drive positive change,” Ogunsola stated.
According to her, the Lagos Spring School provides a unique platform for Unilag to create another intellectually stimulating environment for participants to acquire the much-needed experience in the intricacies of digital entrepreneurship and digital cultures.
She stated that the initiative will help participants explore emerging trends and to cultivate the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential for success in the 21st century job market and research ecosystem.
Read also: UNILAG launches first Spring School in digital entrepreneurship, digital cultures
According to Ogunsola, the Lagos Spring School has the potential to unlock new opportunities, to bridge divides and to empower individuals and communities. “We firmly believe that technology is not just a tool. It is a catalyst for innovation and development,” she stated.
She disclosed that the initiative is open to those within the human sciences and at the centre of the new technology-driven initiative. “The landscape of business, culture and society is rapidly evolving, driven by unprecedented achievements in artificial intelligence, data analytics, blockchain and countless other digital innovations. We cannot afford to leave anyone behind.”
Tim Akano, MD/CEO, New Horizons and board member, CEDHUL, said the initiative is capable of producing additional digital entrepreneurs and job creators that will challenge existing business owners in deepening the ecosystem within the Nigerian ICT industry.
Akano in a keynote speech said that Nigeria must take the idea of take digital humanities very seriously, because it’s going to help in creating unique jobs that are domicile to Nigeria and Nigerians. “It’s going to help us to triple our economy. Our economy is shrinking because everything is imported.”
He said that Nigerian universities must teach their students critical skills like problem solving and communication to stay relevant and thrive. “All the problems around here are opportunities turn upside down. So, we must get our students to be positive thinkers.”
Tunde Ope-Davies, director, CEDHUL, said the Lagos Spring School was birthed to fill identified skills gap in the humanities. “We saw what I call the skill gap in the humanities. The fact that we have the basic skills in terms of critical thinking, in terms of sociocultural background that people have.”
He said that the world currently requires tech skills, which is not built into the curriculum of the Arts and Humanities. According to him, the Center for Digital Humanities will help in bridging the digital skills gap among people in the humanities.
“So, that’s what actually gave us this motivation to see that we can empower our students, we can empower professionals to be able to acquire the skills that they can become job creators instead of just looking for jobs,” Ope-Davies said.
According to him, the initiative will create an avenue for those in the academia and industry experts to intersect and interact towards producing graduates with the academic and practical knowledge to be productive in a digital economy. “Those of us in academia, we need to connect more with the industry to see how we can benefit from that.”
Ope-Davies disclosed that the Lagos Spring School will help to deepen digital skills of participants, which is open to the university’s students, fresh graduates, and professionals in the humanities. “And our plan is to train as many as we can train every year.”
