Oracle Holds sensitization Programme In Covenant University

“Covenant University is looking forward to having a strong and vibrant relationship with Oracle in particular, for the certification of some of our students and many more things they have to offer. I am glad to say that some of them are already coming to fruition. As I speak to you now, an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) is being drafted, and we are looking forward to actually having them provide some services to the University in the line of Communication Technologies.”

Convenant university partnership with Oracle, one of the foremost IT companies in the world, supported by MTN and Cchub(co creation hub Nigeria), organized a sensitization programme for staff and students of tertiary institutions in Ogun State,Falling in line with the activities marking the Founder’s Day Anniversary of Covenant University on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.

The programme, which was anchored by the Department of Computer and Information Sciences of the College of Science and Technology (CST), attracted participants from four universities, namely, Covenant University, Crescent University, Bells University and Crawford University.

In his opening remarks at the event, the Dean of the College of Science and Technology, Professor Shalom N. Chinedu, expressed his excitement concerning the programme, stating that it falls in line with the university’s drive towards becoming one of the ten top universities in the world by 2022.

Professor Chinedu said, “Today is a very great day, having these two big companies come into partnership with Covenant University. It is in line with our drive for partnerships and collaborations with industries, towards the actualization of our goals and drive for excellence in career building and development, all building into our vision of becoming one of ten-in-ten.”

While speaking with Media and Corporate Affairs after the event, Professor Chinedu stated, “Covenant University is looking forward to having a strong and vibrant relationship with Oracle in particular, for the certification of some of our students and many more things they have to offer. I am glad to say that some of them are already coming to fruition. As I speak to you now, an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) is being drafted, and we are looking forward to actually having them provide some services to the University in the line of Communication Technologies.”

In his remarks at the event, the Head of Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Dr. Ayodele Adebiyi, stated that the programme was organized to help the staff and students of Covenant University tap into new technologies and innovations being developed in the Information Technology (IT) World.

Dr. Adebiyi, while explaining the role of the supporting organizations, MTN and Cchub, in the exercise, stated that they were brought in to help sensitize students about the various career opportunities available in these companies; the various kinds of IT skills required for each career placement and how to cash in on such opportunities generally as they graduate.

Dr. Adebiyi decribed the event, as a platform to keep the entire IT community in Covenant University abreast of latest information on JAVA and Data Base Management Systems in general. He further stated that there is already a plan with ORACLE Academy to start a train-the-trainers programme in CU. Oracle, he also said, has signed an agreement with the University to enable staff and students access free ORACLE Academy materials, as well as give 25% discount off their regular certification fees to CU students.

While making his remarks at the event, the Program Manager, ORACLE Capacity Building, Mr. Adepegba Oduntan, stated that the main purpose of the event was to educate students on the skills needed to succeed in the Information Technology (IT) industry. It was also to help educators understand the benefits of ORACLE Academy and advance students’ interest in Computer Science and IT related courses.

Mr. Oduntan further said that his expectation is that participants would leave with an understanding of how to maximize what they study in school and gain necessary skills that will make them more employable after graduation.

A special guest at the event, Mr. Nathaniel Olusola Otesilo, who is Special Assistant and a representative of the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State, Barrister John Olusegun Odubela, while making his remarks at the event said, “It is a globally known fact that ICT rules the world of technology today, and so, it is very important to bring the awareness of that to students. Realizing the power of Information Technology today in relation to any kind of development, it becomes very crucial to -properly sensitize students along this line in other for them to maximize their study experience and prepare adequately to provide related solutions to societal problems and challenges as they leave school.”

There was an interactive session after the presentations at the event where further clarifications were given to the individual concerns and challenges of participants as regards each module.

Covenant University is indeed setting the pace in ICT development among Nigerian Universities and would ultimately be the ICT Centre of the world in the next ten years.