DBI, BUK Partners On Telecoms, ICT Research Towards Building A Strong Digital Economy
Deji Adebayo, Abuja
The President/CEO of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, has said they are ready to initiate strategic collaborations with reputable and topmost academic institutions to deliver cutting edge and market driven curriculum content in the field of Telecoms, ICT and Cybersecurity.
Ajiya made this known when he lead the management of the certified International Telecommunications Union (ITU) institute on a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas at the university’s campus in Kano on Wednesday.
In a press release signed by Akin Ogunlade, Head, Public Affairs of DBI and made available to newsmen in Abuja reads in part; “In Prof. Ajiya’s remarks, he opined, that one of the key gains of such collaboration is a blend of purely academic researchers with
professionals as course facilitators which would produce hybrid graduates at undergraduate, postgraduate and professional competence certification
levels to drive a sustainable digital economy which is the focus of the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.”
Below is the press release unedited:
PRESS RELEASE
DBI PAYS COURTESY VISIT TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF BUK AND CALLS FOR AFFILIATION ON INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN TELECOMS AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES.
The leadership of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) led by the President/CEO, Prof. Mohammed Ajiya paid a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas at the BUK campus on Wednesday, 9th March 2021.
During the visit, the CEO of DBI congratulated the Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious BUK, on his emergence as the Vice-Chancellor and expressed confidence in the leadership, while wishing them a very successful tenure in office.
Prof. Mohammed Ajiya also used the opportunity to call for an affiliation between BUK and DBI. He noted that DBI being one of the world acclaimed Centre of Excellence in Africa as certified by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) has decided to initiate strategic
collaborations with reputable and topmost academic institutions to deliver cutting edge and market driven curriculum content in the field of telecoms, ICT and Cybersecurity.
In Prof. Ajiya’s remarks, he opined, that one of the key gains of such collaboration is a blend of purely academic researchers with
professionals as course facilitators which would produce hybrid graduates at undergraduate, postgraduate and professional competence certification
levels to drive a sustainable digital economy which is the focus of the Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
The Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas while responding, commended the DBI for its initiative to affiliate with the BUK on such a novel area of learning which has become paramount in our new ways of living all over the world given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that strategic partnerships that will impact the lives of Nigerians and the world
entirely to enable innovative research and capacity is one of the main focus of the BUK and this has led to the establishment of the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Development in the BUK.
He assured that BUK will give necessary support to ensure a successful implementation of the DBI/BUK affiliation as he believes that such efforts will yield impactful and far reaching results in the Telecoms and ICT world both to
the academia and the industry experts.
The event featured the presentation of the DBI Training Brochure to the Vice-Chancellor and official submission of a proposal on the affiliation.
The DBI’s delegation was led by the President/CEO, Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, accompanied by Head of Research, Education and Training, Mr. Paulinus Ugwoke, Head of Kano Campus, Mr. Sani Tsoho, Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Akin Ogunlade and the Special Assistant to the President/CEO, Mr. Abiola Jimoh.
Some of the courses proposed by the DBI are:
- MSc – Big Data Analytics and Data Science
- MSc – Cybersecurity
- MSc – Computer Applications
- Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications
It is believed that these courses will equip Nigerians with the necessary competence and capacity to drive the digital economy and in the
immediate future become the hub of human resource in the telecoms and ICT space being one of the mandate for the establishment of the DBI by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The DBI has continued to provide capacity building intervention in the areas of ICT empowerment through the Advanced Digital Appreciation
Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) being fully funded by the Nigerian Communications Commission under the leadership of the Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO, Prof. U.G Danbatta. It is noteworthy that the ADAPTI
intervention has trained over 70,000 staff of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Akin Ogunlade
Head, Public Affairs, DBI