The University of Abuja has been selected as one of the six centres of competence in digital education in African universities.
The other universities are the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania; Moi University, Moi, Kenya; Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda; École Supérieure Multinationale des Télécommunications, Dakar, Senegal and Université Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The selection of the universities was announced by EXAF (Excellence in Africa Research Centre)-EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne) as part of the joint EPFL-UM6P (Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique) initiatives in excellence in Africa.
All the six universities were selected from 20 shortlisted applications evaluated by experts from the Association of African Universities (AAU), EPFL and UM6P.
“The universities’ transition to digital education, including the sustainable integration of digital tools and technologies as well as the adoption of new pedagogical approaches, requires up skilling.
The creation of the C-CoDEs, which combine these pedagogical and technological competencies, will accompany these universities in their digital transition and ultimately have a broader impact at national and regional level,” said Yann Kerloch, Communication Manager for Excellence in Africa, EPFL.
In 2021 and 2022, the project will develop “hardware” and “software” as well as construct studio with multimedia equipment and IT infrastructure necessary to produce online courses (MOOC – Massive Open Online courses).
Furthermore, Technicians from each of the six universities will be trained to operate the production studios. Training in digital education will also be provided
to resident experts in instructional design as well as a few dozen professors, with a wide range of digital technologies. “This training in digital education will be delivered using MOOCs and personalised remote coaching by digital education experts.”
The training programme will put theory into practice by focusing on the transformation of existing face-to-face courses into online ones, and enable the assimilation of pedagogical tools and practices to teach using digital technology.
