By Ibukun Emiola
The University of Ibadan’s contingent at the 2020 edition of Huawei ICT Global Challenge has emerged as one of the Global Champions in the National and Cloud Categories.
The University’s Public Communications Director, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Mr Tunji Oladejo, said this in a statement in Ibadan.
He said that the Country Manager, Talent Ecosystem Development, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, Mr Kenneth Igwe, commended the University during a courtesy call on the Acting Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Adebola Ekanola
Igwe said the excellent performance of the UI students at the competition showed they were talented, skilled, creative, gifted, passionate and zealous for information and communication technology toward sustainable development.
He further said that due to the excellent performance of UI delegation at the edition, he would coach the next set of students on the requirements for the 2021 Challenge.
Igwe requested for a date to organise a students’ job fair in the university ; also discussing possibilities of establishing a digital academy at the university.
“In the 2020 edition of the competition, the University of Ibadan, alongside Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Port Harcourt emerged as global champions in the National and Cloud Categories.
“The three champions from the University of Ibadan: Toheeb Adeniyi Badiru, Bolaji Olaide Abideen and Sulaiman Damilare Olubiyi, all of the Department of Electrical Electronics, Faculty of Technology, currently participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme displayed outstanding digital skills and values impacted in UI’s students.
“Collaborating with UI on the project tagged ‘Huawei Partners’ will involve at least ten other companies, not only Huawei,” Igwe said
He said the project would tap into the talent resources abundant at the university, giving the students internship, graduate training and employment opportunities.
In his response, the Acting Vice-Chancellor UI, Prof. Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, indicated the readiness of the University of Ibadan to collaborate with Huawei in programme.
He said this would bolster the institution’s effort in promoting teaching, learning and research through information and communication technology.
“UI is willing to collaborate with Huawei in achieving and sustaining the goal, since IT is now a great tool for teaching, learning, research and administrative work,” Ekanola said.
He, however, urged the company to make known to UI management the needs and challenges facing the company so that it could form the thrust of future research efforts at the university.
“I specially thank Huawei for partnering with the University in the past, for taking cognisance of the excellent performance of UI students in the 2020 Huawei competition, and for being anxious to have an enduring relationship with UI,” Ekanola said.