Tai Solarin Federal University of Education (TASFUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, has partnered with Kent State University, Ohio, United States, to train 30 early-career academics.
The four-day Faculty Innovation Institute covers artificial intelligence, innovative teaching methods, research, academic publishing and grant writing.
It aims to strengthen the research capacity of young lecturers, improve teaching and assessment, and prepare them for technology-driven higher education.
It is also a train-the-trainer programme. Participants are expected to pass on what they learn to colleagues in their faculties and departments.
Speaking at the training on Friday, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Ekundayo Oladipo, called it a strategic investment in the development of young academics. He said it supports the university’s ambition to become a leading centre of educational innovation.
He said, “One of the greatest responsibilities of university leadership is to create opportunities that empower academics to grow, innovate, collaborate internationally and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of knowledge.”
According to him, the training will build skills in four areas: redesigning teaching and learning, artificial intelligence in teaching and assessment, research and academic publishing, and grant writing.
The Vice-Chancellor also warned that the programme’s success should not be judged by the certificates awarded. It should be judged by its practical impact on teaching, research and the university.
He urged participants to return to their departments and share what they learned. He asked them to mentor emerging researchers, hold knowledge-sharing sessions and adopt responsible AI practices.
“You must therefore be prepared to cascade this training to others,” he said.
The Director of Research and External Relations at TASFUED, Prof. Adefunke Ekine, said the partnership was designed to promote knowledge co-creation between institutions in the Global North and Global South.
She said young lecturers who recently joined the academic workforce need opportunities to improve their teaching and research. She also described critical thinking as a key part of the training.
One of the facilitators, Dr Amanda Johnson, Director of the Gerald H. Read Centre for International and Intercultural Education at Kent State University, described the participants as exceptional. She said the quality of their work during the training had been impressive.
Another facilitator, Dr Kayode Adewale, a Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Fellow and Microsoft Innovative Educator Fellow, said the programme is meant to mentor early-career scholars. He expects it to move academics away from lecture-centred methods towards student-centred learning.
He added that about 100 academics showed interest before 30 were selected.
A participant, Dr Adebayo Ishola of the Department of Educational Technology, described the programme as impactful. He said it showed lecturers why they should move beyond conventional lecturing and place students at the centre of learning.
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