Experts advocate learning of interconnected world at UNILAG international week

Stakeholders at the maiden edition of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) international week have canvassed the need for education based on an interconnected world that takes cognisance of learning associated with the fourth industrial revolution.

With the theme: “Education in a connected world,” the stakeholders also stressed the need to prepare Nigerian students on the changes of disruptive technologies associated with the 4th industrial revolution like artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, internet of things, augmented realities, virtual realities, and drones among others.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu argued that internationalisation of higher education, through linkages, partnerships and collaborations is cardinal to maintaining the quality and relevance of Nigeria’s tertiary education system, especially the universities, who must now more than ever, take deliberate measures to key into available opportunities for linkages and cooperation with their foreign counterparts, if they are to remain globally competitive, as no country can no longer act alone.

Adamu who was represented by Mr. Chris Maiyaki, Director, (Directorate of the Executive Secretary’s Office) National Universities Commission (NUC) further said that internationalisation is not an end in itself insisting that It is contingent on the new realities of the benefit of multiculturalism, pluralism, integration and the need for access to global perspectives and other learning traditions in the education of mankind.

“This will also help us to define terms and have a clear vision of what we are doing and why we are doing it. Eventually, the goals that drive our vision, will determine the practices that we project and our attitude to foreign students who come to our institutions to study.”

Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said education that must be given in this era should be that of an interconnected world.

“Every nation must stand on one another’s shoulder because without internalisation, we’ll be wasting our energy. The curriculum has to be internalised. The lecturers and administrators have to reinvent themselves,” Oloyede added.

The vice chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe said the essence of organising the programme is to “make our students globally competitive.”

“We must also make our staff academic and non-academic to be globally relevant. We are also going into research that is demand-driven,” Ogundipe added.

The Minister of Communication, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim, represented by Abimbola Helen stated that the fourth industrial revolution is creating new realities for the education sector globally.

“There is, therefore, the urgent need for our nation to face the reality, embrace and inculcate technology in our educational planning to enable our children to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to succeed in today’s economy. Citizens must go to school with a mindset to graduate and create jobs and not to get jobs. As technology is disrupting our lives, citizens need to be more innovative and proactive. We must change the way we create our school curriculum and syllabus for our educational system to be revamped.