By Michael Oche
The Vice-Chancellor (VC), University of Ilesa, Prof. Taiwo Olufemi Asaolu, has called for more collaborations and interventions from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), that would support core objectives of the university in the areas of teaching, research and community services.
Prof. Asaolu also commended the NCC and the DBI for the training of 100 academic and non-academic staff of the university under the Advanced Digital Empowerment Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADEPTI), organized by the DBI.
The Vice-chancellor, made the call as the 2024 DBI ADEPTI Coordinators, University of Ilesa, Prince Adesoji Ezekiel Fagbemi, appealed to the VC, other tertiary Institutions, government Ministry Department and Agencies (MDAs) as well as private establishment to partner with DBI, as their preferred choice in ICT training and education.
Prof. Asaolu and Prince Fagbemi spoke at the closing ceremony of the 2024 NCC-DBI ADEPTI training for 100 workers of the University of Ilesa, where the Vice-Chancellor presented certificates to the participants, nominated from all the departments.
While appreciating the sponsors and the organizers of the programme, the VC said, “I would like to commend the sponsors, facilitators and the participants for making the programme a success and I am confident that the knowledge and skills gained by the participants will help them in performing their work better and effectively.
” The University warmly appreciates the NCC and the DBI for bringing this training to our doorstep and we look forward to more collaborations in the near future.
“I need to reiterate that we are open to collaborations and interventions that will support our core objectives in the areas of teaching, research and community service not only from the NCC and DBI but from other organizations with shared objectives.”
He added that the initiative really underscores their commitment to enhancing technological proficiency among the staff and empowering them to excel in this era of rapid digital transformation.
According to him, in this new world of work that is primarily driven by technology and innovations, it is expected of all staff to be digitally competent in order to be relevant and productive.
The ADEPTI Coordinator for the center, Prince Fagbemi, in his remarks stated that the training was designed strategically for tertiary institutions across the federation to bridge the digital skill gap in our schools.
He added that the programme was fully sponsored by the NCC and implemented by the Digital Bridge Institute.
According to him, “the DBI is an institution established by the NCC. It is Nigeria’s foremost centre of excellence in ICT training and education. The role of the DBI is to bridge the digital divide in the country and maintain the highest standard through their various training programs.
“The DBI offers a wide range of training programs and courses in various areas of ICTs. These programs are designed to meet the needs of different segments of the society- students, academic institutions, professionals, organizations as well as government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).,
He stated that the institute plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s efforts to develop a skilled workforce in the field of ICT, to promote digital inclusion and technological advancement.
“It serves as a hub for education, research, and collaboration in Nigeria’s ICT space. DBI is an affiliation of ITU, International Telecommunications Union,” he added.
Prince Fagbemi said: “At this junction, I will call on the Vice Chancellor, and the school management to fully partner with the DBI in other areas. As an institution of higher learning, most especially a relatively new university like the University of Ilesa, there should be periodic training of the workforce.
“It is very imperative to have a sizable budget for training every year, and the DBI is ready and available to train your workforce at any level with a considerable cost. The training would be cost effective to both parties. We would like you to patronize the DBI.”